Relinquished Destiny
by LaraWinner
Summary: Kagome is forced to make a heartbreaking choice. However, while dealing with the aftermath of her decision she learns that destiny will not be detered. IxK Ch. 19!
1. Fate's offer

DISCLAIMER: Sadly, I don not own Inuyasha. I just like playing with them.

Relinquished Destiny

Ch. 1 

By: Lara Winner

The mouth of the small cave rose out of the ground sending a cold chill down Kagome's spine. Her gaze darted about her surroundings leaving her with the feeling that she was trespassing where she did not belong. She knew this place and exactly like the first time she set foot here, the dark and ominous presence of evil remained vivid and overwhelming. Not daring to step closer to the entrance, the name of her fears was like a whisper in the still air. 

Onigumo. 

Kagome hugged herself tightly to ward off her unease. Despite the afternoons warmth and the bright rays of sunlight she felt cold. The anger that had driven her to storm out of Kaede's hut was now dying embers as dread began to seep into her soul. Something was not right. Thought she couldn't place where the instinct materialized from, she knew with morbid certainty that she should not have come here.

It was all Inuyasha's fault. The wretched boy had once again pushed Kagome past her limits and in the need to keep from strangling him with the prayer beads he wore she had gone for a walk to cool her temper. She had no desire to say things she would later regret and the hanyou's disregard for her feelings was quite disheartening. But now standing before the birthplace of an evil no mortal could comprehend, Kagome wished she had stayed put. 

When the unnerving feeling of being watched compounded her current discomfort, Kagome felt her blood run cold. An icy breeze caressed her arms making the hair on the back of her neck stand on end. The touch was purposeful and gentle, almost like a lover's embrace. She took a frightened step back only to become paralyzed with fear as the air began to solidify forming a figure right before her eyes.

A gray mist swirled in a macabre dance slowly taking on the shape of a woman. Soulless black eyes became prominent as an ashen face appeared, the subtle lines revealing the beauty of youth. Long gossamer hair flowed over the apparition's shoulders covering her nude form to her waist. At the hips the body became a shapeless tail of mist that tapered off into the ground. 

A scream welled up in Kagome's throat as the creature lifted one hand imploringly. A sardonic smile curved its full colorless lips and its voice, sexless and soft as velvet, was mocking as it laughed, "Only a fool travels this land alone."

"What do you want?" Kagome asked in a choked whisper. "And what in all the Gods are you?"

"I am Kaimi. If that does not help then I'm sure you are well acquainted with my creator, Naraku." The ghost woman replied. 

Kagome felt faint. Her heart pounded in her chest as pure adrenaline pumped through her veins. "You are another of his offspring?" she gasped.

"I suppose," Kaimi chuckled. "But to refer to such a beast as my father is quite appalling to me actually. I prefer to ignore his existence if at all possible."

"Wha…why…" Kagome stuttered, confused. "What do you want with me?"

The creature folded its hands demurely. Cocking its head to the side, it seemed to study Kagome while saying, "If I could give you the chance to end this all here and now would you take it? Would you spare the life of your friends?"

Kagome dragged in a deep breath and tried to focus on the creature's words. They made no sense and she frowned. "There is nothing you could give me that I would except. I will not betray them to you or your master."

The creature merely smiled patiently. "I did not seek you for Naraku's sake nor did I come for the jewel shards you possess. My purpose is to offer you the chance to destroy Naraku once and for all. He has made a grave mistake in dealing with me and I have no use for his command nor this existence. Naturally it is to my benefit that I offer to extend my services should you be interested."

"I'm not." Kagome insisted without hesitation. Keeping a weary eye on the woman, she backed away slowly wishing she had had the foresight to bring her archery equipment.

"Then tell me Kagome, do you love Inuyasha?" it asked. 

The question was simple but it came out of nowhere throwing Kagome's mind in chaos. She had to stop herself from answering with her heart. Instead she countered with her own question. "What does my answer mean to you? I know you're not asking out of curiosity." 

"Your feelings for the hanyou mean nothing to me. It is you who will live with what you feel, not I." The gray lady conceded and bowed her head respectfully. Again she lifted both hands beseechingly. "I only ask for a grave favor and offer you one in return. Will you not accept?"

Though the creature's voice was barely above a whisper, there was a hopeless ring to its sad words. Kagome felt compelled to help the woman. Even fearing the emotion was only a magic rouse, she could not discredit Kaimi's request.

"Why then?" Kagome asked, "Why do you want me to destroy your maker?"

For a moment Kaimi did not seem as if she were going to answer. Her head remained bowed and her hands clenched together tighter. The sheer mist that formed her body rippled as something dark and powerful rose inside her. Kagome took another step back and cursed silently when she found herself up against the cavern wall. Then Kaimi looked up and Kagome gasped.

Red rivulets streamed from both of her obsidian eyes. Her mouth twisted in a bitter smile as she pressed her fisted palms where her heart would be. "I was mortal once." She explained painfully. "My father was a poor farm worker with nothing to show for his hard work. I was his only surviving child and his only remaining family. I took ill a short time ago and a seemingly generous lord named Naraku said he wanted to help cure me if we would help him in return. My father agreed. Naraku took us to his castle and…"

Kaimi's voice trailed away as a sob shook her body. But almost instantly she sniffed loudly and pulled her composure together. Her words tuned cold as ice as she continued, "Naraku needed a living body to form Kagura from himself and he needed a pure soul to create me. Naraku tricked my father and when my father tried to stop him Naraku killed him. He stole my body and my life. He even admitted the illness I suffered was part of his spell to capture my soul. Now I am trapped, not living and not dead. I have nothing but my memories and I long to either live or die, anything but this."

Kagome could only stand motionless, her gray eyes filling with tears as her heart ached for Kaimi. Tears of blood continued to trickle down the creature's face as she began to move closer toward Kagome. The threatening vibes were slowly fading as Kaimi reached out and tried to touch Kagome's cheek. Her smokey fingers passed right through Kagome's flesh and for one second a wave of pain hit Kagome, twisting her heart with a sadness she'd never felt before.

Kaimi smiled. "You are crying for me. Such compassion is not seen these days." Drawing her hand away, she sighed, "I cannot kill Naraku. As you can see, I can do little else but be seen. My purpose was never to destroy life. I was simply created to prevent you from returning through the well the next time you go back to your time. I was to hold you there and not let you reenter the well until Naraku had destroyed your friends."

"Oh no." Kagome breathed.

"Tis true. Naraku knows that Inuyasha looses his will to fight when you are not present. It gives the coward the advantage." Kaimi explained. "So again I ask you, do you love Inuyasha?"

This time Kagome's heart jumped to answer. "Yes."

"Then know this, if he stands against Naraku he will die." The ghost girl said sadly. Kagome opened her mouth to protest but Kaimi held up a hand to keep her silent. "There is nothing your presence can do to change this. It is Inuyasha's destiny and I have seen this in Kanna's mirror. Naraku will annihilate him and your friends and then he will take you as his prize. You are the closest he can be to Kikyo and your eternal suffering at loosing everyone you cared for will be his ultimate trophy."

Kagome shuddered as she stared at Kaimi with wide and frightened eyes. The thought of loosing everyone, especially Inuyasha, sent raw fear into her heart. She had to find a way to save them. "If Inuyasha can't defeat him then what else can be done?"

"I have a plan but it will come down to a very important choice on your part Kagome." Kaimi warned. "The question is do you love Inuyasha enough to give him a different destiny? Knowing that you'll never be with him again and even knowing that in his new life he will not remember you, would you still rather him be alive and happy?"

__

never be with him… will not remember you… love him enough…

Like shattering glass, Kagome's heart broke, the pieces falling to the bottom of her soul leaving her hollow and empty. There was only one answer she could give and tears welled over her cheeks as she cried, "Yes I do."

An understanding smile crossed Kaimi's face and her soulless eyes, if at all possible, softened with sympathy. "Then you will set things right by going back and killing Onigumo. What should have been will now be through your actions. You will give Inuyasha the life that Naraku stole from him. He will be given a second chance to live as he chooses with…"

"…with Kikyo." Kagome finished for her. 

"Yes, with his soulmate."

Eyes squeezed shut, Kagome lowered her head as a pain, similar to what Kaimi herself was feeling, ripped apart her last shred of hope. She no longer questioned this demon's cause. Kaimi was genuine, something deep inside Kagome told her that. And now she was given the chance to end everyone's pain, at the cost of her heart. Inuyasha was not meant to be hers…

"What must I do?" she choked hoarsely.

"Go back to Kaede's village and say your good-byes. At dawn return here and I will be waiting." Kaimi said softly.

Kagome nodded her head, not able to trust her voice. Turning away, she headed back toward the village feeling as if she were walking to her death.

A.N.- This was an idea that struck me. It's probably been done before but I thought I'd give it a shot. This is only the first chapter. The story will get very interesting before it's through and I only hope I can pull this off. I just wanted to see how the story would go if given an alternate ending. This is just my opinion of what I think might possibly have happened if Kagome had the choice to relinquish destiny...


	2. What must be done

DISCLAIMER: Sadly, I don not own Inuyasha. I just like playing with them.

Relinquished Destiny

Ch. 2 

By: Lara Winner

"Where the hell have you been!?!" Inuyasha snapped .

The sharp scathing question assaulted her from the evenings growing darkness and drew Kagome to a halt in the small clearing. Blinking back hot tears, she welcomed his voice, even when it was angry. 

"I was taking a walk." She sighed.

"By yourself?" He asked angrily. "Sounds like your brain's broken again."

A soft thump sounded to her left as he jumped down from his seat among the trees. They were not far from the village, in the distance she could her the familiar sounds of the people preparing for the coming night. The ache in her chest grew stronger. She would miss this place.

Quickly she brushed at her eyes deciding that this moment alone with Inuyasha would be her last chance to be near him. Swallowing hard, she looked up and said sadly, "I don't want to fight anymore."

Inuyasha blinked, his brow wrinkling at her subdued tone. He sniffed the air and his expression turned suspicious. "You've been crying, haven't you?"

"Maybe." She shrugged. "I'm just tired of us always yelling at each other. Friends don't act that way." She explained, purposely stressing the title of their relationship yet unsure if it was for him or herself.

"I won't have to yell at you if you would stop going home so much! Ya know, we don't have forever to find these damn shards! Naraku is growing stronger and I'm itching to get my hands on him!" The hanyou exclaimed. 

Inuyasha's innocent words only strengthened Kagome's resolve. She would not let him go to his death. She would rather him live no matter what. Yet she couldn't tell him her plans. He would try and stop her, not believing that Naraku would defeat him. His youthful hot-headedness would never let him accept otherwise. 

"We have a little time Inuyasha." She replied soothingly. "Besides, I have a feeling all will turn out well."

Again the hanyou's face scrunched up in thought as he observed her carefully. Shaking his head at a loss, he demanded. "Okay, tell me what's wrong with you. You're acting really weird." 

"Can I ask you something?" Kagome inquired, ignoring him.

"Yeah.."

She smiled at the vexed look he sent her way. "Do you miss Kikyo?"

"Huh?" Inuyasha grunted, bewildered. She could see the wheels turning in his head as he tried to piece together where his answer fit in their conversation. And when he couldn't he gave her a pleading look, "What the hell does this have to do with anything?"

"Just answer me. Do you miss her? Yes or no." she asked, her growing exasperation evident in her tone.

"Yes alright! I miss her a lot." He said looking away. After a moment of silence he asked, "Is this why you were crying?"

Kagome wanted to cry again but instead she shook her head and strived for a light tone. "No. I already knew your answer, I just wanted to make sure I was right. Can I ask you one more thing?"

Inuyasha nodded.

"If you could do this again, knowing how it would all turn out, would you?"

This time he stiffened, staring out into the darkness as if he could find the answer there. His golden eyes were becoming shuttered, trying to hide the vulnerability of his emotions. Finally a wane grin curved his lips. "How about I give you the answer to that after I kick Naraku's ass?"

"Inuyasha?"

He sighed in frustration and something else. "Look, Kikyo is dead. She is not the same person she was and it kills me to see what is left of her. And I don't know what the future will bring and I don't know if I could do this again because I have so much to loose…"

His voice trailed off and Kagome viciously ignored the way her heart thumped with his words. "Present aside Inuyasha, if you could go back and have a life with her would you still become human and be with her?"

He closed his eyes as if he didn't want to hear what she asked but she knew he would answer honestly. He was nothing if he wasn't a closet saint. 

"Yeah, I would."

That was all Kagome needed to hear. Her decision was set in stone and she could only hope that his happiness would be complete. Walking over to him she threw her arms around his waist and hugged him tightly. He froze, neither holding her nor stopping her. There was no need to think twice about what she was doing. The silent cry of her heart whispered good-bye as she forced herself to sever the last ties that bound her to him.

When she pulled back she found him looking down at her with what looked like regret and dread in his eyes. "Kagome, I didn't mean-"

Pressing a finger to his lips, she interrupted his words and smiled sadly. "Don't. I understand." And then she did something she'd never done before. Leaning up she pressed a quick kiss to his cheek and then left him standing in the middle of the clearing with a look of utter surprise and helplessness on his face.

**** 

Dawn came swiftly. The deep midnight sky turned gray as it gave way to the first tentative rays of the morning sun. With a heavy heart Kagome cast a glance over her sleeping friends. Shippo was whimpering softly, unconsciously seeking her warmth from where she left him. She hated to leave this way, without a goodbye or an explanation but Shippo would not understand her choice. It was better this way. Pretty soon he would not even remember her.

Kagome smiled sadly as she her gaze shifted to Sango and Miroku. The young girl was still fast asleep completely unaware the hentai monk had moved next her and placed his arm over her waist sometime in the night. How she wished she could be there when Sango awoke. Her anger was bound bruise Miroku this time. 

Even Kaede looked peaceful in sleep. Gods help her, she was going to miss them. Tears were threatening to fall. It took everything in Kagome to make her way to the door. With one last glance she wished them all the happiness in the world. Then with her silent farewell a lone tear trickled down her cheek.

Closing the door quietly behind her, Kagome faced the gray sky feeling it fit her mood. A quick glance around told her Inuyasha was no where to be found and a tiny part of her felt relieved. It could very well be a blessing if she didn't see him now. So adjusting her pack comfortably on her shoulder she began the short trek to Onigumo's cave. 

The sun was just peeking over the horizon when Kagome reached the cramped cavern. True to her word Kaimi was waiting. Upon seeing Kagome she held out a hand urging her forward. The creature's black eyes darted around, almost nervously and Kagome realized just how dangerous this predicament was. If Kaimi's betrayal was discovered by Naraku the girl would be killed for her crime. Kagome wasn't sure what her own fate would be and she wasn't too keen on finding out. Her mission was clear and she would not be deterred. 

"Kagome, I was beginning to wonder if you would come." Kaimi greeted softly.

"I know what I must do," Kagome assured the ghostly young woman. "And it hurts so bad I can barely breathe." She added with a choked laugh.

"As all things do that are worth the sacrifice." Kaimi reasoned solemnly. "This is all you can do to set them free."

Kagome nodded yet she couldn't stop the tears. Violent sobs began wracking her body and the cold presence of Kaimi was her only comfort. Vaguely she felt the girl try to touch her shoulder comfortingly but again there was no physical sensation, just heart-wrenching pity that the dead girl felt for her dilemma. 

There was stern sadness in Kaimi's whisper as she prodded, "Come now Kagome, the day grows light and we haven't the time to delay."

Heeding what Kaimi did not say, Kagome wiped her eyes and set her mind on the task at hand. There would be time for tears later, for now she needed a clear head and a stout heart. Cold efficiency took control, guiding her actions and she rid herself of her pack. Her fingers trembled as she pulled an arrow from the holster on her back. Gripping the bow in one hand and the arrow in the other she faced Kaimi with determination glittering in her sorrowful eyes.

"I am ready."

Kaimi dipped her head in acquiescence and reached out her hands placing them through Kagome's chest. The creature's ghostly form began to dissolve and flow into Kagome. There was no feeling and Kagome felt herself relax as bright white dots started to fill her vision. Then out of the corner of her eye a flash of red caught her attention and her heart stopped.

__

Oh Inuyasha…

"Get the fuck away from her!" The dog-demon snarled as drew the Tetsusaiga from its sheath.

Inuyasha's approach had been swift and silent like the natural hunter he was. The surprise sent Kaimi reeling out of her body. Golden eyes showed no mercy and Kagome reacted without thought, stepping in front of the demon girl and blocking Inuyasha's attack.

"What the hell are you doing!?! Get out of the way Kagome!" He yelled, panic and fury controlling his voice.

"No! Don't come any closer Inuyasha!" Kagome cried as scalding tears filled her eyes again. He couldn't stop her. She was doing this for him. His happiness was all that mattered…

"Do it Kaimi. Now!"

This time Kagome's body exploded in intense discomfort as Kaimi fused her form with Kagome. A feeling of falling began to overtake her senses and her vision began to fade in a bright white haze. She barely heard Inuyasha scream her name and all she could do was watch as he frantically reached for her, his face twisted in an expression of painful horror. Then his image was gone, washed away by a white light so pure and beautiful that it nearly hurt her eyes.

However, in the blink of an eye the light faded and Kagome collapsed to the ground as the world came back into focus. Bright sunlight bathed the land surrounding her and the song of birds struck her ringing ears. There was almost no difference she could place, except where Inuyasha had stood was now empty and void of the demon's presence. Kagome bit her lip to keep her endless tears at bay. Fighting the pain that robbed her of breath, she rose to her feet unsteadily.

From the darkness of the cave a gravely, almost sinister voice called out sharply, "Kikyo is that you?"

A.N.- Uh-oh! I can see you guys getting ready to aim all your rotten tomatoes at my head. Um… I can't promise anything about how the story plot is going to go without giving it away and I can't reassure you that there won't be a great deal of angst left to go before this story is complete but keep in mind what is said in the plot summary. Destiny will not be deterred. That is hopeful, isn't it? *grins evilly* Although I didn't say it was in a way you'd expect…

Thanks for reading and for all the wonderful reviews! Luv ya guys! *_*


	3. Revenge or murder

DISCLAIMER: Sadly, I don not own Inuyasha. I just like playing with them.

Relinquished Destiny

Ch. 3 

By: Lara Winner

A fine trembling took hold of Kagome as the sound of that sly voice struck terror in her soul. Naraku's voice had barely changed and even though the human body he now occupied was stolen from an unfortunate young man, Onigumo's tone was cunning and devious, sounding the same in the monster he would become. 

Something akin to hate spurned inside Kagome and her grip on her bow tightened. In the cave's darkness lie the man that would eventually take everything she loved away from her. It was more than just hatred that drove her forward, step by step into the cave. There was an eddy of rage, hurt, fear, grief, doubt, and the most powerful of all being the need for revenge. For the first time true darkness surrounded her heart, making the partially complete Shikon stone that hung around her neck glow crimson. 

It was then that Kagome realized she could feel Kaimi's presence still submerged within her own body. Subtly, Kaimi encouraged her feelings and Kagome let the thought go. There was little else she could do but keep her focus and in her mind she let the image of Inuyasha, covered in blood and lying lifeless at Naraku's feet, play repeatedly until her torment became a force to be unleashed. 

Kagome blinked her eyes rapidly as they were forced to adjust to the dimness of the cave. Little yellow spots floated across her vision and she almost let the realization of how powerless she really was destroy her defensive courage. But she had come to far to cower now. She held the fate of too many people in her hands to shrink away from her decision.

"Kikyo?" The thief called again, this time his tone was tempered with impatience.

A cold smile crossed Kagome's lips. "Kikyo is busy right now so I've come to you instead."

The vile man paused and she came closer, stopping when she stood directly above him. The only things visible through the layers of homemade bandages that covered his burned body were his lips and one hard beady eye and it roamed over her with an approving glare, only hinting at the deplorable thoughts running through his mind. His appraisal made her skin crawl.

"Kikyo neglected to tell me she had a twin." He sighed in mock disappointment. "You are wearing such strange clothes. But you have nice legs. I'd like to touch them."

Revulsion filled Kagome as she hissed, "You disgust me. I don't see why Kikyo pities you."

"But she does." He laughed with malicious glee. "The foolish woman is too kind and pure for her own good. But even the most innocent of souls have their secrets. I know why Kikyo is not here."

When Kagome paled he pressed on, "Busy… Busy! I wonder what possesses our priestess to play games? Is there something she is hiding I wonder? Tell me girl, what do you know of Kikyo's games?"

"Too much to let you live." Kagome breathed softly. The look in his eye turned even more chilling and she fought the urge to shift in nervously where she stood.

"I don't believe I heard you." He taunted. His gaze held her own and she fought the desire to look away lest he read her thoughts and her fear. What she imagined was a smirk grew wider and his gaze shifted down only to stop and become transfixed on the chain she wore. "That's the Shikon no Tama. It's broken?" he gasped.

__

Kuso! "That doesn't concern you." Kagome's voice wavered as she belatedly slipped the jewel inside her shirt. "You've already caused enough suffering."

"Not as much as I could girlie." Onigumo rasped. "I know you have the jewel and I'll come for you."

"You won't have the chance." She stated, her voice firm with conviction.

"Is that a threat?" Onigumo questioned with a sneer. "Then Kikyo is aware that I know her secret. And you know too, don't you? She spends her time with that half-breed scum and thought she could hide it from me. The fool! I'll break her, just you watch, and then I'll break that dog too! She's willing to be with him. She'd turn her back on everything for love. It's so pure… I'd give anything to see it turn to hate. I wonder if Kikyo would be more beautiful if she were to have her heart and her love forsaken? Her suffering would be fascinating."

Kagome could not bear to listen. Pain laced every breath she took and the void in her heart grew wider. For the first time since she'd met Inuyasha she was suddenly able to see what had existed between the dead miko and the hanyou. There had been love, far greater than what she felt for the half-demon now, and it should have blossomed into something eternal. She could give it back to them. Right here and now she held the choice in her hands. There was no time to stall.

"May the Gods have mercy on you Onigumo." 

The cold words held no warmth and Kagome lifted the bow, aiming the arrow at the enabled man's chest. Her hands shook violently as amusement sparked in Onigumo's eye. There was no fear, only spite and challenge.

"You're going to kill me?" He asked chidingly. "Put that weapon down. You don't have what it takes to murder a helpless man. And that is what you would be, a murderer. Could you live with that knowing you bear the shame of taking someone's life?"

When Kagome remained silent a horrible cackling filled the cave. "You're shaking. How pathetic."

His cruel taunting was the last straw. Something inside Kagome snapped and a scream of rage erupted from her soul, soundlessly crying out the excruciating anguish that tore the last of her world apart. Suddenly fear flashed in Onigumo's eye for a brief second as he realized she would carry out the dirty deed. And then the arrow was in flight and time slowed as she watched, her breath catching in her throat as the steel triangular tip struck its target right in his black heart.

A painful scream died abruptly and Onigumo's body arched off the ground in agony. Tears began to fall, her head spun, and her stomach knotted viciously yet she couldn't tear her eyes away as the thief's body began to convulse, caught in the throes of death. Then next thing Kagome knew she was ill, kneeling on the ground, her stomach heaving so fiercely that she tasted blood in the back of her mouth.

__

I killed him…

I am a murderer…

Inuyasha is gone…forever…

It was then that Kagome felt Kaimi's strength support her as the overload of emotional wreckage buried her under its suffocating weight. Through her tears the cave began to fade as the wonderful white light engulfed her once again. It fizzled around her sparkling and shining as electrical pulses ran through the glowing haze like veins giving life to the energy that cocoon her. 

"Onigumo was already dead Kagome." Kaimi reasoned in a melodious whisper. "Shed no more tears over him."

Like a warm blanket, Kaimi's life force grew stronger and Kagome gasped as she looked up into the demon girl's face. The vaporish haze that had constituted her body had begun to solidify. Her soulless eyes were fading from deep black to warm brown, her hair from wiry gray to silky ebony, and her corpse white skin flushing with pink and peach hues of life. 

Kaimi smiled. "You have reset history. For your sacrifice I will gain my life back and the same for my father. And Inuyasha will live and he will become human and Kikyo's soul will be freed from the geis of the Shikon stone. Miroku will live without Naraku's curse and Sango will have Kohaku with her once again. Shippo will have a second chance with his father and even Kouga will fulfill the promise he made to Ayame."

Kagome could only stare at Kaimi in awe. "All of them? They will get their lives back?"

Kaimi nodded gently. To prove her words she lifted the partially completed stone that hung around Kagome's neck and cradled it in the palm of her hand. The Shikon no Tama glowed purple and then slowly it's inner brilliance faded as the stone crumbled and then vanished. "Every event was entwined and now you have set it all to rights once again." Gently she pulled Kagome into her arms and embraced her tightly.

The silent understanding and gratitude gave a spark of life back to Kagome's soul. Suddenly the pain wasn't so unbearable and she found she could breathe. Granted it would take time for her to heal from her loss but now she could move forward knowing all was well in the past.

"Thank you Kagome." The young girl whispered. Pulling back, she placed a light kiss to Kagome brow and smiled brightly. "Now do not fret. As you have changed the past, you have also changed the future. Remember that and you will find your life once again too."

Kagome stuttered, "W wh what…has changed?"

"You will see soon enough. For now, go home and enjoy your fifteenth birthday."

Then, like waking from a dream, Kagome blinked and Kaimi and her white vortex disappeared. Staring at the ceiling of the well house, Kagome gasped realizing that she was lying on the ground in the bottom of the Bone Eater's well. In the distance she could hear Souta calling her name. 

Shock settled in and unsure what to believe Kagome closed her eyes as her world fell into darkness.

A.N.- If you can where the story is heading now then I applaud you. Like I said first chapter, from here on out the general idea has been done before. However, I'm throwing in a few twists here and there so it is still going to be quite different than what you're expecting. I have chapter outlines for this story and I'm trying to write it as fast s I can. I can't promise I can continue posting a chapter a week but I promise I will get the next chapters out as soon as possible.

Thank you so much to everyone who has left a review. It's the feed back that lets me know if I should even continue with an idea and I appreciate the honesty of your praise and criticism. If I'm to succeed at becoming a published author then I need all the opinions a pointers I can get. So thanks for reading and taking the time to let me know what you think. Every review is very important to me! *hugs* Luv you guys!


	4. Trying to understand

DISCLAIMER: Sadly, I don not own Inuyasha. I just like playing with them.

Relinquished Destiny

Ch. 4 

By: Lara Winner

They said she had a nasty fall and hit her head. 

Staring into her mother's anxious face, Kagome smiled as she forced down another mouthful of tea. It was important that she show her mother she was feeling well.

"Are you sure you are up to returning to school toady?" Mrs. Higurashi asked again for the hundredth time.

"Yes I'm sure." Kagome sighed in exasperation. "I've been in bed for a whole week. I'm fine I promise."

Reluctantly yielding to her daughter's reassurance, Mrs. Higurashi conceded. "Very well then. If you are absolutely positive about going…" 

Kagome nodded enthusiastically and ignored the strange look Souta gave her from across the table. It was imperative to her sanity that she was allowed to return to school. Anything was better than lying in bed staring at the walls of her bedroom. For the past week Kagome had been left with nothing to do but think of everything that had happened. Her worst fear was that one of her little brother's innocent questions might be a horrible truth.

Out of simple curiosity Souta had asked if Kagome had any dreams while she was unconscious in the well. It felt like cold water running down her spine as the sudden thought crossed her mind… Had it all been a dream?

It was an unbearable conclusion but it wasn't so far fetched. Kagome has spent the last week looking for any clue that the last two years of her life had taken place but there was no evidence to be found. If she truly had reset time then nothing would exist since her adventures would have been in the future. She had even gone as far as to raise up her shirt and look for the scar she bore from where Mistress Centipede had ripped the Shikon jewel from her side. There was no scar.

Frantically she racked her brain trying to remember little details about the Sengoku Jidai. To prove to herself that she wasn't crazy she flipped through her history textbook already knowing everything about the way people lived five hundred years in the past. Quite a few of the textbook's passages were all wrong, at least according to the way she remembered things done. It only made her more confused. 

Was it really a dream?

But how could it be? 

Kagome did not imagine the way Shippo would cuddle in her arms or the way his cold little nose would give her a chill when he buried his face in her neck. It was not a figment of an overactive imagination that Miroku's air rip could suck in the largest and most powerful of demons or that his hands would grope her whenever possible. Even Sago's friendship was true and heartfelt as was her pain at loosing her brother. And so was Kikyo's anger and hatred that she displayed on more than one occasion. And Kagome knew couldn't have conjured up Kouga's wild untamed sent that reminded her of open fields and snow capped mountains.

It was all too vivid to be a dream.

And of course there was Inuyasha…

The days, weeks, and even months spent thinking of the hanyou and trying to figure him out was real. In her time and in his there had been moments to cherish between them and they could not have been simple fantasy. How many times had he nearly driven himself insane with boredom as he watched her do her homework? It was amusing how he would constantly peek over her shoulder reminding her of an impatient child wanting to play. And how often had they sat under the stars side by side without the need to say a word because they found all the comfort needed in the others presence?

Those were precious memories and there were more in Kagome's heart, two years worth of good times and bad. She could not for a moment believe it was a dream. She knew the feel of his strong arms holding her. She could still smell his sent, clean and crisp as the forest. Every battle she feared she'd loose him and every time she witnessed him with Kikyo more of her heart broke. That was real. The hurt she still carried with her every waking moment was more real than anything she had ever known. And in the end she had still lost him.

It was driving her crazy. Every time she closed her eyes Kagome saw them, kissing, swearing vows of endless love, standing together as dark haired children scampered about their feet. The agony stabbed her, ripping out her insides and choking the life from her soul. It almost made her wish her adventure had been a dream. But she now asked herself the same question she asked of Inuyasha. Knowing how it would end would she do it again? Would she love him so wholeheartedly? And the only answer she could summon was yes.

Kagome knew there had never been a conscious thought to love Inuyasha. It just happened. The more time she spent with him the more endeared he became to her heart. Underneath his gruff exterior was a boy who was lonely and hurting. And somewhere along the way she decided she wanted to be the one to make him whole again. 

But that was never supposed to be. Kikyo laid claim to his heart long before Kagome had ever met Inuyasha and it had remained that way despite everything. The dog-demon had harbored affection for Kagome, it was obvious, but the extent of his feelings for her was never really known. Or were they? Had he not said himself that he missed Kikyo and that he would be with her again if only he could?

Inuyasha's answer had stung but she had expected it all along. And she loved him enough to let him go. She wished them no harm. In fact she honestly hoped they were able to live a happy life full of warmth and love. But that didn't mean she walked away unscathed. Onigumo was not the only one that died in that cave. Kagome would never be the same again. 

It was almost is if she were missing part of her soul. There was an emptiness within her where guilt tried to consume her. Nightly, amidst the images of Kikyo and Inuyasha, another face was making its presence known. Onigumo would not let her be. His memory instilled the fear that grave consequences would befall her for her crime. No matter how she tried to justify her actions the fact still remained that she murdered a defenseless man. There was no honor such a deceitful victory, only shame at the blatant use of disadvantage. Perhaps Naraku had won after all. For a moment he'd even gotten her to fall into the darkness. 

The more Kagome weighed her own actions the more she felt dirty. Blood was on her hands, plain and simple. How could she anticipate the rest of her life when ghosts of the past haunted her every night? And what if the past resurfaced no matter how she tried to bury it? The tapestry of fate was fickle and tricky. Gods only know what her future has in store for her now but Kagome's soul was too jaded to care. She needed to find a way to leave the past as exactly that, in the past.

And so her only way to escape the damning thoughts that kept after her was school. It would give her a respite from the hounds of hell that tormented her with memories that only made her heart ache all the more. Her studies would give a much needed distraction. And it was of the utmost importance that she attend school today and everyday there after so she could eventually put her broken heart out of sight and out of mind.

Kagome realized she didn't feel quite as helpless when she thought of her plan to take control. Forcing a bright and sunny smile, she ruffled Souta's hair and gave her mother a kiss on the cheek. "I've got to be going or I'll be late."

Kagome breezed out of the room without a backward glance. Her mother and brother shared a look and Souta gaped, "She wants to go to school? Geez Mom, she even left early. She must have hit her head harder then we thought." The boy replied as he continued to wolf down his breakfast. 

A.N.- Sorry this chapter is so short but I was trying to convey her confusion and hurt at having her life turned upside down once again. For any of you who are confused, Kaimi sent Kagome back in time so she could kill Onigumo. Kagome succeeded in her task and now Kaimi has reset time to the morning of Kagome's fifteenth birthday, ya know, the morning the series starts. That was the end of last chapter. This chapter is a week later and now that she's gotten her strength back she's returning to school. This point in the story is where fate will take over and everything that should have happened will. This is when Kagome learns that some things were not meant to change. 

Sound kinds cryptic huh? Sorry, I can't give you any clue on how this story will eventually end but I can tell you one thing. This story isn't near complete. Everything is just getting started. Just keep your finger crossed that the rest of the story doesn't suck from here on out. *hugs* Thanks for reading! Luv you guys!


	5. At first sight

DISCLAIMER: Sadly, I don not own Inuyasha. I just like playing with them.

Relinquished Destiny

Ch. 5 

By: Lara Winner

The trip to school was uneventful. With her backpack secure on her slumped shoulders, Kagome peddled her way through Tokyo's bustling city streets lost in the very thoughts she wished to purge from her mind. She paid no heed to the morning traffic or the rat race of vehicles and pedestrians, young and old alike, striving to get to their destinations on time.

Blindly, she made it to the school's campus and after chaining her bike to the bike rack, prepared to face the life she'd left behind so long ago. 

"Kagome! Oh Kagome!" Eri's screech barely had time to register before the young girl nearly tackled her friend. "Gosh, we were so worried about you Kagome! Don't you ever scare us like that again. I tried calling you several times last week and your Grandpa told me you couldn't talk. We've all been dying to know how you are! Oh I'm so glad you're alright!"

Pinned by the shorter girl's glomp, Kagome sweatdropped. "Uh..I'm fine guys. Just a little bump. See, I'm as good as new." She explained with strained cheer as her loyal friends surrounded her.

"What happened Kagome?" Yuka asked with a toss of her sable hair, looking ever graceful and slightly vain.

"Yeah you just gotta tell us." Jori chimed in as she stood beside Ayumi who nodded with avid interest.

Aki's keen blue eyes watched Kagome steadily as she agreed, "Spill it."

Commanding the groups attention Kagome related the rather dull details. But she monitored her story carefully, not daring to mention youkai, dead mikos, the Sengoku Jidai, or even a certain heartbreaking hanyou. Instead she said nothing out of the ordinary and as she looked at her friends faces she realized just how far fetched everything seemed now that she was back in her familiar reality.

Here, in the middle of the school courtyard bright and early Monday morning, Kagome kept her thoughts quiet. Instead of dwelling on a past that was beginning to seem more and more like a dream, Kagome took a good look at her friends and really appreciated them.

They were an eclectic bunch. Their personalities ranged from one end of the spectrum to the other and even in between. Kagome could only laugh to herself as she mentally compared each of them.

First there was Yuka, the ultimate prima donna. Everything from her expensive loafers to her weekly manicured nails said she was high maintenance and her demeanor was as haughty as one would expect. Yuka appeared effortlessly perfect, her hair was never out of place in gym class and her mascara always perfectly accentuated her doe-brown eyes. Their female classmates envied her and Yuka loved it. And the boys… raging hormones made them putty in her hands. 

Where there was Yuka you were sure to find Eri. The petite brunette followed the other girl about like a shadow. They were the yin-yang symbol of friendship. Eri was blissfully down to earth. Perfection didn't seem to be a word in her vocabulary but her genuine caring personality abundantly made up for her lack of flair and charisma. Eri's easy going nature and kind blue eyes would put anyone at ease and then it would only be a matter of time before she would mother the person to death in her way to show her loyalty and affection.

Then there was Ayumi. Quiet, studious and all around good girl. 'Booky' was her nickname because she was a walking library. The shy, chubby, chestnut haired girl wasn't much of a talker and usually she was lost in the grand story of her newest paperback or magna. But Ayumi was smart and there was intelligence in her hazel eyes. But it was good luck drawing her into conversation.

And that was where Jori took over. The vivacious red head with the sparkling green eyes could talk bout anything, anytime and would never run out things to say, no matter how redundant the topic. And it was Jori's gift of gab and bubbly personality that made her the gossip queen of the school. However, some point over the years she began looking out for Ayumi and despite her big mouth, one couldn't help but like her.

And the last member of their ragtag group was Aki. Only one word described the raven haired, blue eyed athlete. Together. The girl was focused, had great grades and was the star player of the girls soccer team and softball team. She was composed and collected and knew exactly where she was going and what she needed to do to get there. She was the sane one of the bunch and her cool, aloof attitude was something Kagome tried to emulate. Yet, having been friends from the second grade still didn't help Kagome any. 

That was the life Kagome had been going for. Well, not necessarily the athletics part, but she had been trying to get that focus and direction before Inuyasha came barging in on her world demanding her time and her energy and her heart…

Gods, why couldn't she stop thinking about him. That part of her life was over and she wasn't even sure it was real now. 

Frowning, Kagome's thoughts wandered as the group split and began heading to their first class of the morning. Having class with Jori, Kagome walked beside her friend not hearing a thing the girl said as prattled on and on about the events missed during Kagome's week of recuperation. Another thought dominated her mind as she only now realized that her first class of the day was history. Kagome wanted to laugh at the bitter irony. History! Of all subjects… HISTORY! 

She entered the classroom swallowing the lump that rose in her throat and desperately ignoring the pain that filled her heart. Kagome took her assigned seat, breathing a silent sigh of thanks that Jori was seated three tables over. Her friends were not having the desired effect she had hoped their presence would. She wasn't feeling any better.

The bell sounded hailing the start of the class period. As the teacher's monotone dialogue droned on, Kagome felt like she was suffocating. She couldn't escape the past. No matter how hard she tried every thing seemed to throw her sacrifice back in her face. Her throat burned with the urge to cry. Longingly her gaze shifted to the window almost hoping she would see a certain hanyou waiting for her. Oh Gods, she wouldn't even care if he was sitting in the window scratching his ears with his foot. Anything to be near him again. Kagome missed him so much.

Lost in her yearning daydream, Kagome didn't realize someone had entered the class room. The punctuating sound of the door closing disturbed the silence and she jumped, jerking back to the present. Closing her eyes, she bowed her head trying to regain her composure. The hushed whisper of voices rose among her fellow classmates and looking up it was then that Kagome noticed the boy standing awkwardly next to Mr. Tuganashi's desk in the front of the room.

The teacher spoke quietly to the new boy and motioned to the table where Kagome sat pointing out the only available seat left which was right next to her own. Then Mr. Tuganashi stood and addressed the class. "Attention everyone. We have a new student joining us. I want all of you to make him feel welcome…" 

The polite speech faded into the ringing that filled Kagome's ears. All mental functions ceased as she took a good look at the young man. He was tall, medium build and looked like any other boy in her grade. He had dark jet black hair that was unfashionably long, hanging a little below his shirt collar and pulled back in a band. His face was handsome with classic features that could appear childish or fearsome depending on his mood. Large violet eyes scanned the room and then settled on her making her breath catch. Her heart skipped a beat, she stiffened and could not tear her eyes away as the boy moved to take his seat beside her.

In truth there was no need for her to gawk at the new comer. She knew every curve of his face, every expression that would cross it, she even knew the sound of his voice. Blinking against the hot tears that welled in her wide eyes, Kagome could only stare like an idiot as she breathed…

"Inuyasha?"

A.N.- Hehehehehe… Poor Kagome, she just can't catch a break. Sadly, I'm not done playing with her yet. When has the course of true love ever run smooth? And of course there's the little problem of being a teenager and nothing seems to go right at that age. Don't worry though, the story summary did say I/K. Yet both Kagome and Kikyo begin with a K… 

Geez, don't look so horrified! I'm an Inu/Kag fan! I swear! 

However, I will warn now that things that are going to happen in later chapters may deviate slightly from the magna/anime plot. It won't be much, just little things that I think in the series could go either way. And the characters of Jori and Aki are mine. The possibility of a red haired green eyed girl born in Japan is slim, I know, but so is a boy born half dog half human. I love fiction. It makes anything reality. Okay, enough blabbering from me. I need to finish chapter eleven. So until next week I bid you a fond adieu. *_~ *hugs* Thanks for reading! Luv you guys!


	6. The new kid

DISCLAIMER: Sadly, I don not own Inuyasha. I just like playing with them.

Relinquished Destiny

Ch. 6 

By: Lara Winner

Kagome's face was still red with embarrassment as she flopped down in her reserved cafeteria seat. Her five friends barely paused their conversation and her blush deepened as she realized they were discussing the reason for her discomfort.

"Did you check out the new guy? I think he's hot." Jori giggled, her eyes sparkling with excitement. "There's something about that grunge/punk skater-boy look that melts me." She sighed dreamily.

Aki arched a brow skeptically. "Every boy you see 'melts you' Jori. I don't get what's so great about his looks. He's just your average guy."

"Okay, am I like the only one who hasn't seen the new kid yet?" Eri nearly shrieked from her seat beside Kagome. 

"He's in my language class." Ayumi offered quietly. "I think he's kind of scary looking." Having said her peace, she promptly returned her attention to her magazine entitled, 'Top 100 hunks of Anime.' 

"I really have to get a look at this guy." Eri muttered.

"Really girls," Yuka snickered. "You're acting so juvenile about this. He's just a boy and he'll eventually become a man and as we all know, men are dogs."

Kagome almost fell out of her chair at Yuka's innocent comparison but her friend wasn't finished. 

"It doesn't matter how good looking he is. Appearances are deceiving and underneath that bad-boy attitude he's just a puppy waiting to be trained." Twirling a lock of her long hair about her finger, Yuka smirked.

Kagome wanted to laugh… and cry. Aki merely rolled her eyes as she teased, "Just because you've dated every guy in our grade doesn't make you an expert on the opposite sex."

Yuka glowered. "And I bet none of you will ever get the guts to talk to him."

"Oh I wouldn't be so sure about that." Jori piped up, jumping in the conversation with a conniving grin. "Kagome gets to sit next to skater-boy in history."

"Oh really?" Eri inquired. "So what do you think of the new kid Kagome?"

A heated blush stained her cheeks as Kagome remembered the embarrassing incident that took place earlier that morning…

__

"Inuyasha?"

The name escaped her lips and Kagome was unaware she had spoken out loud. That was until the striking boy turned his head sharply and gave her a purely annoyed glare.

"My name is Inasho Sigai. Get it right."

His cutting words stung and Kagome turned away, her heart doing summersaults in her chest…

Humiliating. 

Absolutely humiliating.

"Yoo hoo! Earth to Kagome!"

A hand waving in front of Kagome's face brought her back to the conversation and she blinked, then bristled under the amused stares of her friends.

"Oh gosh Kagome, you like him don't you?"

Kagome gaped. "No, of course not." The protest was automatic but not quite convincing.

"Yes you do. Look at you, you're blushing. How cute."

Kagome growled. "I am not!"

"Kagome's got a crush…"

"Shut up!" Anger, brought on by confusion and embarrassment made her insist, "This isn't funny you guys. I don't like him and I could never like him. The guy is arrogant, insensitive, rude and…and…." She paused trying to think up an appropriate excuse. After a moment she shrugged, saying lamely, "…and he's so not my type." 

Yuka eyed Kagome curiously. "Well then what is your type? Perhaps someone more like Houjou?"

"Huh?" Kagome frowned. "What does he have to do with this?"

Returning her attention to inspecting her crimson polished nails, Yuka sighed with complete disinterest. "He likes you and he makes it disgustingly obvious and heads up 'cuz he's heading this way now."

A quick glance over Kagome's shoulder confirmed Yuka's warning and Kagome inwardly groaned. Sure enough there he was, making his way through the crowded cafeteria and heading right for their table. Poor Houjou. His persistence was the very last thing she needed to deal with now. However, Kagome knew she couldn't turn the boy away. 

The sound of footsteps alerted his nearness. "Uh..Hi..Kagome." 

"Hey Houjou…" She trailed off unable to summon a smidgen of enthusiasm at his presence. Judging by the beaming smile on her companions faces, she knew she would get no help there. Once again they were all eyeing the scene and waiting for Kagome to invite him to sit.

When no invitation was forth coming, Eri took over graciously. " Here have a seat. I'll just move over one." She smiled, nearly pulling Houjou down into her empty chair.

Kagome sent a glare at Eri for her sneakiness at getting Houjou to sit beside her, but Eri continued smiling innocently. Everyone seemed to be intent on where this was going. Kagome realized it would be up to her to break the stifling silence that suddenly descended upon the table.

"Um..so..uh.. was there something you wanted Houjou?" She asked awkwardly.

She had spoken to him, therefore he perked up under her attention. "Yes. I wanted to give you his." He held up a small gift bag. "Happy Birthday Kagome."

Houjou's expression seemed earnest. Reluctantly Kagome took the bag and a feeling of deja` vu assailed her. She peeked inside, fairly certain she knew what the gift would be. But instead if a hand held massager, Houjou gave her a patchouli scented candle and jasmine incense sticks. It was a sweet gift. With a smile Kagome lifted the candle and breathed deeply. This was a much better gift than the massager.

"Thank you Houjou."

He seemed pleased with himself for gaining her approval. His large brown eyes glowed with pride and his handsome face was filled with elation. Kagome studied him for a moment. He was quite handsome with his tall lean build, short wavy auburn hair and his gorgeous smile. But even tough he looked as if he stepped out of a magazine and was sweet enough to deserve a medal, Kagome realized that something wasn't there. That spark that she'd felt the first time she looked in Inuyasha's eyes was mysteriously missing and her heart would settle for nothing less.

This realization haunted her thoughts for the rest of the school day and even her bike ride home. Houjou's obvious affection should have made her happy. He was such a logical match for her but reason didn't dictate the heartstrings, she admitted sadly. She couldn't make herself feel something that wasn't there.

Which led her back to the boy that had stolen her heart. And ever since that morning, where there were thoughts in Inuyasha there were thoughts of Inasho. 

Could they really be the same person?

Once again Kagome's heart was doing flips in her chest. Inasho's face, his deep amethyst eyes, even his gruff voice were the exact replicas of Inuyasha on the first new moon of the month. This boy was an almost flawless recreation of the hanyou in his human form. Was it simply a coincidence? Or were her memories real? If so then Kaimi cryptic words had come true. She had changed the course of destiny all the way around. 

If she had once been the reincarnation of Kikyo then it could every well be that Inasho was the reincarnation of Inuyasha. But that would mean Inuyasha became human with Kikyo. A part of Kagome's heart ached as she realized all the tortured images she had of them came true. He had made the ultimate sacrifice for Kikyo and in turn their souls joined. Of course it wouldn't end there. He would have kissed Kikyo like she'd seen him do, and that tender love would be there, growing between them. And he would have touched Kikyo with the passionate reverence of someone deeply in love. And Kikyo would have given him a child, perhaps a little boy with Kiyo's compassion and Inuyasha's temper…

Secure in the sanctuary of her room Kagome sprawled out on her bed, buried her face in her pillow and for the first time since she returned to her time, she cried. The tears came freely, releasing the strain of heartache she'd kept inside. It felt good to finally face her loss and she poured her soul into the tears she shed. She cried for Kikyo and for Inuyasha, she cried for her lost friends that she would never see again and she cried for the loss of a love that she'd had wanted more than anything. 

But in the bottom of her heart a little spark of hope flared to life and in it's faint flicker the pieces of Kagome's shattered heart began to heal with the knowledge that destiny was not yet through with her.

A.N.- Oh boy… *dodges sharp heavy objects thrown by disgruntled readers* I'm sorry it took me so long to post this chapter, I really am. And I am cruel for that teaser. Don't worry. You're gonna get to meet Inasho soon enough. Next chapter is pretty important and may even be a bit confusing but I intend to have it out A.S.A.P. Now that Kagome's even more confused than ever things start to get complicated. 

So welcome to the real world where youkai come in the form of textbooks and the scariest thing you can face is talking on the phone for the first time to the boy you love… 

*Hugs* Thanks for reading! Luv ya guys!!!! *_* 


	7. Keechi

DISCLAIMER: Sadly, I don not own Inuyasha. I just like playing with them.

Relinquished Destiny

Ch. 7 

By: Lara Winner

Hours passed and Kagome tears had finally run dry. For the first time in over a week she was feeling a little like her old self again. Releasing her emotions had been therapeutic and it allowed her to finally let go of the desperate dream she had been holding on to.

However, Kagome was still lost in the rambling of her mind. Only now different thoughts were filling her head. They were the thoughts of a violet eyed boy who would be sitting in the seat beside her come first period tomorrow. 

Inasho Sigai.

He had to be Inuyasha's reincarnation. There was no other way Kagome could explain the identical features, voices and even attitudes of the young men. Even the proud manner in which Inasho had stood before the class, looking at everyone and daring them to speak despite his unease, was a trademark reaction of Inuyasha. The similarities between the two were downright uncanny.

Kagome had observed Inasho through the corner of her eye the entire class period. She had taken note of his every movement and again the feeling of seeing Inuyasha in him was undeniable. Inasho was also in her science class, final period of the day. It had been her guilty pleasure to watch him from her seat two rows over and one desk behind him. If he had felt her pinned stare he showed no sign of it. But having the chance she studied every expression, compared every line of his face to her memory and what she'd found left her feeling guilty, stunned and completely confused.

If Inasho was Inuyasha then why did they look and seem to act exactly alike? She and Kikyo had been different in so many ways that after first glance you could not mistake them for each other. Kikyo build had been taller and her voice was octaves deeper. The bitter sadness of her personality was a stark contrast to Kagome cheerfulness. Even their mannerisms were opposite. Where Kikyo was lithe and graceful Kagome was rounded and clumsy. Nothing about the two females was identical. 

It made Kagome wonder… Were they really the same soul? 

Kaede assumed they were because of the Shikon no Tama being with Kagome body. It was an obvious assumption at the time but now it left her filled with doubt and the question would not leave her alone. And if they were separate souls? The possible answer intrigued her to no end. 

Curiosity peaked, Kagome went in search of the one person that would know the answer. It took her ten minutes of searching the house top to bottom but finally she found the elderly man outside in the shrine, sitting on the top steps and soaking the sunset over Tokyo's skyline. 

"Mind if I join you Gramps?"

He patted the stone step and smiled but his eyes never left the breathtaking scene before him. The sky was alive with hues of deep indigo, pale purple and flaming red. Skyscrapers made a jagged outline in the flawless clouds and Kagome smiled as she saw the beauty that held the old man under its spell.

Minutes passed and Grandfather and Granddaughter sat in silence just soaking in the evening's last glow before the cloak of night descended upon the city. Caught in the poignancy of the moment, Kagome felt like a child once again, keeping her Grandpa company and secure in the knowledge of his presence. Giving into the comfort of childish fancy she rested her head on the old man's shoulder and she felt a soft chuckle rumble his chest.

"You're unusually quiet. Is there something on your mind Keechi?"

The childish nickname filled Kagome with warmth and her sentimental mood grew stronger. Her father's death had left a void in her life, but her Grandfather had been there to give her the strength she needed. Though she didn't always show how dear he was to her, she knew he understood that no one would ever replace him in her life or her heart… in this life or the next. 

With a sigh, she asked. "What do you know about reincarnation?"

The question caught the aging man off guard. "Heh. Such a serious thing to wonder about. I don't believe you're going anywhere soon." He paused, then sighed. "What makes you curious?"

Kagome shrugged, "Just something I saw on television." She hated to lie but the truth was better left unexplained.

"Oh well then, let me see…" he replied softly, "When a person dies there are many places the soul can go. Some get trapped in the land of the living, unable to move on due to things left unresolved. Others reach a level of enlightenment that allows them to move on to Nirvana, the spiritual state of bliss and peace. And evil souls, filled with hate and malice go to an eternal place of suffering they bring upon themselves by their inability to forgive either their own deeds or the deeds of others."

Kagome remained silent and he continued. "But most souls are able to achieve a level of peace and are gifted with the innocence of ignorance. All souls begin that way and only time and experience can teach the lessons that bring knowledge to the heart. Yet no soul can experience everything in one lifetime and so we are reborn, each life giving us different circumstances and obstacles that we must endure and overcome, teaching us the great spiritual lessons that we harbor in our sub-conscious."

"And when we learn all there is to know we reach enlightenment?" She asked.

"Yes, that is the general principle." He stated in agreement. 

"Okay I got that part. What I don't get is when a soul returns do they keep the same body and personality or do they come back as someone completely different?"

"Hmm.." He frowned in thought. "Good question Keechi. That issue is the subject of great debate. Some say the body is merely a vessel and that a soul can inhabit any living body with no limitations between human or animal forms. And there are many who say that the soul remains the same species while gender does not particularly matter. However, I've always tended to believe that the body is the physical personification of the soul and therefore the body would remain similar if not exactly the same. Personality is much different though. A soul's personality is individual and will not be duplicated for it is belonging of that soul. I do not see how a soul could loose it's identity for that's what a person's personality would be, the representation of their soul. Where the physical may differ the mental and emotional will not."

Emotions would stay the same? This new aspect caused an interesting feeling surging within Kagome. "Does that apply to love and soulmates too?"

"Ah, now that's a tricky one. The concept of a Soulmate is that for every soul there is an opposing soul and when brought together they compliment each other and make a whole. However, time, distance and even spiritual development, or lack of, play great roles in preventing souls from ever meeting. But once a soul finds it's other half it will never be complete without it and not even time can stop it from seeking its counterpart. Of course, the soul is not limited to when it comes to love. Studies done have proven that in most documented cases of past life regression a person will have at least one if not several souls it is connected to and they will migrate with each other in each life. Where the concept of a soulmate is a direct sharing of a soul, there is another similar concept widely excepted and it states that the individual soul can have many counterparts, each raging in depth of emotional attachment and spiritual guidance. Love is not confined just to the romantic heart. Love varies as do the reasons we feel love to begin with." 

"I guess it really is complicated." She lamented as her fears and doubts were given a thousand new directions in which to go. Digesting all the information she just learned, Kagome asked her final question. "Would you say I'm old soul or a new soul?"

"You are still quite young Kagome, but there is a great inner strength about you. I would say not too old or too young but just right." He replied with a wink.

Kagome laughed. 

It felt good to laugh after the hours of crying she had done. Helping the aging man to his feet, she sighed, giving the darkening horizon one last glance. Out of the dark blue came an interesting thought. Inasho was in this city right now, sharing the same canopy of stars as she. Inuyasha watched these stars five hundred years ago. It was the same sky, the same stars- she glanced the Goshinbu tree- even the same thinking spot and yet infinite time separated these events and erased any connection they might have had. In essence, they were close to where they started and yet still so far away. 

Kagome perished the thought and turned her attention everything she'd just learned. She walked with her Grandfather back to the house still perplexed. Questions were swirling around in her mind, going in a multitude of conflicting directions all at once. Kaimi had referred to Kikyo as Inuyasha's soulmate. Was that indeed true? And if so, what relationship had that left between herself and Inuyasha? 

The answer would be simple if she was Kikyo's reincarnation. Yet something nagged at Kagome, insisting she inspect the assumption thoroughly. If the eyes were the windows to the soul then what Kagome had seen in Kikyo's gaze was not the lack of a soul, but the loss of faith. Torment and grief brought forth an anger so fierce it diminished her inner light and numbed the warmth of her heart under layers of ice that refused to melt. Kikyo had lost her will to live and had even confessed that she had not wanted to return to the land of the living. The tragic souls of women that she stole from the deceased were merely energy, giving life to her earth made body that her own broken soul could not. And when Kikyo had tried to take Kagome's soul, was it really the soul that sparked Kikyo's lust to exist or was it the feeling of having their combined miko powers at her command? 

Though nothing said they did not share the same soul, the differences between Kikyo and herself were there and she could not forget them so easily. Was she a replica of the powerful Miko or were they both gifted souls sent from the Gods that merely shared a destiny? It was a troublesome question and it left Kagome to wonder if she would come face to face with her rival in this life and if so, would the outcome by any less painful this time around?

A.N.- Uh… *scratches head* Any questions? Yeah? Okay, you did read right. Kagome's got the feeling she's going to run into Kikyo again. Whether she does or not I'm not at liberty to say right now. I know in the series Kagome is Kikyo's reincarnation and I know Kikyo did take back a tiny part of her soul. However, this is fanfiction and I'm bending the rules a little. That goes for anything in this story that is different from the manga/anime original plot

I tried to make the reincarnation speech as simple and to the point as possible. If it was confusing I'm sorry. Basically the soulmate principle can go for multiple souls at once because it does not limit itself to strictly boyfriend/girlfriend relationships. It goes for platonic love and the love you feel for your best friends. I'm not making this up, this has been found in research studies. *grins* Now I get to exploit it! HA! 

I know I said you get to meet Inasho soon and you do… That what next chapter is all about. *gets on knees* please don't be mad and I'm sorry the chapters are so short. With Mardi Gras and my work scheduling me for ten- twelve hour shifts, I haven't had as much time to write as I'd like. Sorry. Chapters will start getting longer… I think.

*Hugs* Thanks for reading! Luv ya guys!!!! *_* 


	8. Strange comparisons

DISCLAIMER: Sadly, I don not own Inuyasha. I just like playing with them.

Relinquished Destiny

Ch. 8 

By: Lara Winner

The moment Kagome stepped into her history classroom she could feel HIM watching her.

'Don't look baka!' she snapped at herself, but reflex won out over mental urging and she found herself ignoring her own warning to her dismay. Looking up she met Inasho's deep violet eyes in a head on stare. The boy was clearly annoyed at being caught but he did not look away. Guilt and nervousness made her drop her gaze to the ground as she made her way to her seat. 

It was only when she was settled with her textbook and notebook on the table before her, that Kagome realized she needn't be so nervous. Apparently Inasho found his view lacking for he had returned his attention back to the book he was holding. The thought made her frown. 

In an attempt to relax, Kagome glanced around the room. Fellow students tricked through the door one by one, the empty seats slowly filling as the minutes ticked away. It wasn't long before she found her gaze wandering back to the boy beside her. With his head bowed, wisps of hair escaped the band and fell forward partially hiding his face. Her heart was once again pounding so rapidly she was afraid he could hear the sound. 

But Inasho made no move to acknowledge her presence and Kagome took advantage of his distraction. Her guilt was doubled ten fold as she realized she was acutely aware him. Every nerve in her body seemed to be on end seeking out his presence and she felt shame at the sudden insight. She did not know for sure that this was Inuyasha. As far-fetched as everything seemed she would not have been surprised if it were a sick coincidence that they looked so strikingly similar. Lately everything she had ever found hard to believe had become quite believable. 

It didn't seem right that she should so easily find herself attracted to this boy when she wasn't near healed from loosing the love of her life. The pain was still there with every breath she took and it stood as a reminder of the part of herself that she had lost. A heart can only love that deeply once in a lifetime and knowing that helped her understand Inuyasha's confusion. There was no way Kagome could blame him for loving Kikyo. Nor could she hate him for his inability to love her. All he had been able to give her was the tattered remains of affection that where left after the loss he had suffered.

Yet Inuyasha had cared. He hid it well and he tried to fight the feeling but she knew that beneath his gruff and hostile exterior he considered her companionship to be of grate value. It wasn't love, or maybe it was in its own way, but it was simple and safe. He had nothing to loose if they were to ever go their separate ways. The emotions she aroused were not a risk or a liability and the knowledge stung. 

Then again, to confuse her even more, her mind was suddenly filled with an image of Inuyasha's face. 

…_Fear contorted his features and there was raw terror in his eyes as he reached for her. He screamed her name and his voice held a note of desperation, as if it were torn from his scarred soul in an anguished cry…_

Kagome's chest tightened as a vice-grip of alarm made her stiffen. She had forgotten… Amidst the turmoil in her mind and heart she had overlooked the memory. It was her last image of him. Right then she could only watch helplessly as Kaimi's power over time took effect and she left him standing there looking completely defeated…

It wasn't love she had seen in his actions, she scolded furiously. He was afraid to be alone, that's all it was. But the thought lacked conviction and in its wake she began to remember…

__

…"What are you doing up Houshi?"

"ssshh! Sango and Kagome are asleep." …pause… "Inuyasha, Kagome asked me to inform you that she is returning to her time in the morning."

"What! Why the fuck didn't she tell me!?!"

"Sshh! Be quiet!"

"Feh, damned stupid bitch. Who does she think she is?"

"You sound like you want her to stay Inuyasha?"

Leaves rustle and silence falls abruptly.

"It's nothing to do with her." …pause… "We do have the rest of the shards to find, remember! She just keeps wasting time!"

"Oh, so that's why you sulk and camp by the well till she returns? I thought you were waiting for more ramen."

"Look hentai, you don't understand…"

Chuckle. "I think I understand." …pause… "I understand just fine."…

…"Kagome?"

Worried golden eyes frantically searched her face and she smiled slightly. She tried to sit up but firm hands pushed her down on her back and roughly skimmed her body feeling for injuries.

"Don't move. That son-of-a-bitch threw you pretty far. Miroku's gone to get Kaede. Are you alright?"

Inuyasha's voice was soft and she paused. This was so unlike him. He was actually showing his concern? Nodding, she managed to croak, "My head hurts a little but other than that I'm fine."

His eyes closed briefly in relief. "Good, I'm glad." Then they snapped open containing the fires of hell as he grasped her shoulder and gave her a hard shake. "DON'T YOU EVER DO ANYTHIG THAT STUPID AGAIN!"

"Inuyasha…"

"YOU BAKA! YOU MORON! YOU… YOU STUPID… YOU IDIOT!"

He was so angry he was sputtering and Kagome sighed. "Your shard detector is perfectly fine. Chill out."

"Fuck the shards!" he hissed. Her eyes widened as she realized what he said. Stiffening, he looked away and scowled. "From now on leave the fighting to me. Just stay out of my way and tell me where the shards are. That's all I want from you, got it!"

"Fine." She muttered, closing her eyes…

Kagome's breath caught as one final memory crossed her mind.

__

…"If you could do this again, knowing how it would all turn out, would you?" she asked.

Inuyasha was torn but he answered honestly. "Look, Kikyo is dead. She is not the same person she was and it kills me to see what is left of her. And I don't know what the future will bring and I don't know if I could do this again because I have so much to loose…"…

What had he meant by that? At the moment she had assumed he was referring to his friends and his die-hard dedication to seeking his revenge against Naraku. But what if she had misunderstood? What if he had been referring to the two of them and what was slowly growing between them? 

A slight throbbing had begun around Kagome's temples. The stress of trying to deal with everything was taking its toll. But the slight pain intensified sharply when a familiar voice snapped, "Didn't anyone teach you it's rude to stare?"

Kagome blinked. A blush stained her cheeks but she found herself paralyzed, unable too look away. She continued to stare at Inasho dumbly.

A dark glare was directed her way. Irritation was evident as Inasho arched one brow with cocky curiosity. "Are you slow or something? "

For the first time she realized his clipped words were tempered with an accent. Though his Japanese was fluent his accent sounded American. Strangely enough the inane thought jerked her from her stupor. Kagome's gray eyes narrowed, flashing dangerously. "Didn't anyone teach you to be nice?" 

"Heh, you can actually speak in complete sentences. Who knew." Inasho muttered, returning to his book. "Stupid girl." He added under his breath.

A devilish streak rose within Kagome and for a moment she forgot that this was not Inuyasha, but a boy she'd just met. Grinning impishly, she snatched the book out of his hands and turned it over to look at the cover. She ignored Inasho's growl and frowned when she realized the book was written in a foreign alphabet that she guessed was English.

"Hey give that back!" He exclaimed as he reached for the book.

She let him rip the paperback out of her hands. Tipping her head to the side she regarded him with a half smile. "You're bilingual? That's neat."

He turned away dismissively. "Whatever. Why don't just leave me alone."

"I just gave you a compliment. You don't have to act like a jerk about it." She huffed.

He grimaced. "You are really annoying. Has anyone ever told you that?"

"No."

"Well they should." He insisted absently while trying to find the page he had been reading.

Kagome gaped at his abhorrent lack of social skills. "You could be a little nicer to me. I'm just trying to be your friend."

"That's funny. I don't remember asking you to." He countered.

"I'm sorry. I stand corrected. Forgive me for wanting to make simple conversation. If you insist on being antisocial and unresponsive then go right ahead!" She shot back trying to get the last word. 

"Gladly." Inasho looked up from his book and glared. "Now will you shut up!"

"Sit boy!" Kagome blurted the command out of habit. 

It was Inasho's turn to blink in confusion. Kagome felt her face turn twenty shades of red while Inasho gave her a strange look. She swore he wanted to laugh but the irate expression did not leave his face. Kagome was mortified. Why couldn't she sink into the floor or maybe disappear? It would be really great if the ground would swallow her. Oh what she wouldn't give for Miroku's kaanaza right now…

"Uh… you have serious issues." Inasho snickered.

How dare he…

To her frustration, Kagome's biting response was silenced as the bell sounded hailing the beginning of the class period. But the indignation she felt at Inasho's high and mighty attitude sparked something inside her and for the first time in weeks Kagome felt almost exactly like her old self again. 

A.N.- I suck! This chapter didn't come out at all like the way I wanted it to and after almost three revisions its still crap. I'm slightly disgruntled right now. But on a good note the next chapter that follows is the continuation of this scene and it sort of gets the ball rolling. As if you can't tell I'm not good at the happier stuff. Angst is definitely my genre. So, in fair warning, there will be heavy angst and light fluff coming up in future chapters. Be prepared because this is a long twisted story. 

*Hugs* Thanks for taking the time to read! Luv ya guys!!!! *_* 


	9. A glimmer of hope

DISCLAIMER: Sadly, I don not own Inuyasha. I just like playing with them.

Relinquished Destiny

Ch. 9 

By: Lara Winner

The entire class was at attention as Mr. Tuganashi's clear and commanding speech echoed in the deafening silence, "…and this being the final quarter of the second semester I have decided to change the usual curriculum and instead of a final exam this year we are going to try something new. I am assigning this class with a project. I will pair each student with a partner and you will have four weeks to complete a term-paper, minimum of ten pages, and an oral/visual presentation that must be given before the class. Topic can be anything you wish to choose, so long as it was covered in your textbook this year."

The teacher continued to discuss the details as he began to hand out information packets with the guidelines and instructions. The students glanced over the pages and when everyone's attention was once again turned to the front of the classroom he asked, "Any questions?" No hands were raised and Mr. Tuganashi nodded with a smile. "Well then, to make this easy and avoid any conflict your partner will be the person sitting to your left. You have the rest of the class period to get acquainted and agree on your project theme. All topics must me approved by me by the end of the period. Now get to work."

A low murmur started amongst the students as some squealed in delight at their luck of gaining a wanted partner while others grumbled about having to complete such a time consuming project. Kagome, however, said nothing as she continued to stare at the front of the room. She refused to glance to her left. She would not give that jerk the pleasure of seeing her dread and discomfort. Why? Of all the unfair, unjust, unmerciful, cruel, callous, heartless little tricks that fate could decide to pull it had to involve HIM! This was.. was…downright wrong!

Kagome was still fuming silently when Mr. Tuganashi called out, "Higurashi! Sigai! I need to speak with the two of you."

They approached the teacher's desk and Kagome dared hope he would assign her another partner. She would not- no… could not work with Inasho. The boy was rude, inconsiderate and grouchy. Not to mention he was the carbon copy of someone she desperately needed to forget. However, she was not surprised when her hope was short lived.

"Sigai, though you are new student I am aware that your former schooling was up to par with our placement standards. I've taken this into account along with your excellent grades and I've decided to issue you this assignment just like everyone else. Miss. Higurashi will be a competent partner and if you have any problems come to me." With that said, he dismissed the two teenagers back to their seats.

Kagome was not happy. With a disgruntled sight, she flopped down in her seat. Mr. Tuganashi would not go back on his decision and that only left one option. She would have to make the best of this arrangement if she wished to pass history. She sighed, "So, any bright ideas?"

Inasho appeared to be just as discontented with this new turn of events and didn't bother to hide his irritation. "At the moment no but if you're so 'competent' then I'm sure you can think of something." He stressed the compliment insultingly and smirked.

Suffering from an uncharacteristic need for violence, Kagome pinned a dark glare on the boy beside her and entertained thoughts of maiming him. If only she could 'Sit' him she would feel so much better. It would be rather amusing to see him hit the ground face first. It would wipe that superior grin right off his face and deflate his ego when she gloated instead. Or better yet, if only she had her arrows. She could shoot him and purify that mean streak right out of him. He wouldn't be so high and mighty once she used him for archery practice. Or maybe Sango's hirikotsu would do the trick. She could knock Inasho in the head with it a couple of times and it might set him straight. Then again, that tactic never worked for Miroku's wandering hands…

Suddenly Kagome had the prefect idea for their project. It was fool proof. Even this jerk was sure to be interested. She grinned proudly. "I've got it! How about we do your project on weapons?"

Inasho opened his mouth to protest but then paused as he realized what she said. "Weapons?" He repeated as if he hadn't heard her right.

"Pay attention. We can do our paper on the evolution of weapons and battle techniques through the ages and we can do our visual using drawings and diagrams of weapons and how they have progressed to today or when they became outdated. What do you think?" 

Either it was Kagome's imagination or Inasho visibly relaxed. She decided it was the latter when he assessed her idea and then gave her a grudging nod. "Not bad. For a second there I thought you were going to suggest clothes or hair styles or something stupid like that."

"That's a great idea." She taunted unable to help it." Why didn't I think of that? Let me got tell Mr. Tuganashi were going to use clothes." She laughed and started to stand.

Out of reflex Inasho grasped her wrist to stop her and for some mysterious reason Kagome forgot to breathe. It was the weirdest thing, she had looked up trying not to laugh at his horrified expression and then he touched her and then it was like… electricity. It tingled up her arm and it sent a chill right down her spine. But it wasn't the physical contact itself that made Kagome freeze. What made time stop was the fact that she'd felt this before, the very first time Inuyasha touched her…

In reality the feeling only lasted a second and Inasho jerked his hand away as if he were burned. She knew he felt it too, there was a bit of pink to his cheeks and he definitely looked startled. _Oh boy…_ Now what in the world was she supposed to think? She didn't imagine that. This wasn't all trapped in her head anymore. Destiny was beginning to flaunt it powers and Kagome felt like her world had once again shifted a little on its axis. The feeling was ready to swallow her but thankfully Inasho seemed to regain his composure which prompted Kagome to do the same.

He cleared his throat nervously and he nearly stuttered, "I'm going to tell him we chose weapons," then he practically jumped from his seat in his haste leaving Kagome to try and calm her fraying nerves.

But there was no peace to be found. The rest of the class period her composure was destroyed and Inasho kept sending her curios glances as if he too were disturbed and shaken by what had happened. Neither teen mentioned the strange occurrence but she noticed Inasho went out of his way not to touch her again. Kagome was hard pressed not to laugh hysterically. The entire situation was ludicrous. She could picture herself trying to explain to Inasho why the contact left them stunned and breathless. He would think she was insane. 

Shikon shards… hanyous… reincarnation…

Delusions of a warped mind?

Excitement and amazement warred inside Kagome and she dismissed her doubts. He felt it! She wasn't crazy. This wasn't fantasy. Something was pulling her toward him and deep in her heart she knew what it was. Her soul recognized him. Her heart did not need her mind to be logical to piece its own conclusions together. It was ready and willing to ignore rationality for the sake of love. 

Kagome could feel the change. Slowly her heartache was loosing intensity and in its place a warm feeling was beginning to develop. Inasho's nearness was a sort of balm to her frayed emotions and clarity was stealing its way into her awareness and it allowed her to see the boy she fell in love with residing inside the stranger she shared a workable with in class.

All too soon the bell sounded and Inasho spared her one more glance before he collected his books and fled the room. She refused to dwell on his actions but it was so much like something Inuyasha would do when he was confused that once again the bittersweet feeling welled in her heart and Kagome sighed. During class change Kagome found herself searching for a glimpse of him in the crowded halls. He was foremost in her thoughts and to her surprise she couldn't force him out. It was impossible to concentrate on her school work. She couldn't even pay attention to Aki's curious questions as they took their seats for math. 

Kagome was lost in her hope. When lunch time came around she nearly floated down the halls to the cafeteria. Looking back later, she should have known something was going to interrupt the feeling but right then it was the farthest thing from her mind. So when she opened her locker she was not paying the least bit of attention to the boys standing a few feet away from her. It wasn't until she heard the name Inasho that her attention jerked to the present and her ears strained to listen to the conversation.

"I heard the only reason he was allowed in this school because his mom is related to Principle Enokatu. They couldn't afford it otherwise. That's why he acts like he owns the school."

"That's what he thinks. Have you guys noticed that he talks funny? He slurs his words and it sounds like he's talking out of his nose."

"Yeah well he's obviously a fag. I mean only a girl or a stupid American queer would wear their hair that long. I bet he's got a boyfriend…"

The snickering continued and Kagome seethed. She hated people who made fun of others. It reminded her of they way certain girls still bullied Ayumi about her weight and the way the villagers hurt Jininji for being a hanyou. It made her blood boil and it brought to mind all her assumptions about Inuyasha and the past that he would never talk about. It wasn't fair and she was putting a stop to it now.

Closing her locker with a decided slam, Kagome leveled her glare on the three boys to her left. "You guys should be ashamed of yourselves. Just because he's new here doesn't mean you have the right to say that stuff about him. Ya know, I think you're the stupid ones."

Keiji, the ringleader of the group laughed. "Oh come on Kagome! You gotta admit the guy's weird. He looks like a girl and talks like he's got a stick shoved up his butt." 

Kagome fists clenched as she snapped. "I don't think that's funny. You guys need to grow up."

"Maybe you should mind your own business Kagome-chan." Keiji laughed, "Unless he's so gay he needs a girl to stand up for him."

Kagome was about to reply when she noticed just who coming up behind their little group. She bit back a smile as she goaded, "I wonder if you'd have the courage to say that to him."

"Are you kidding? You think we're scared of that fag?" Keiji asked as his friends chuckled.

"Then why don't you try saying it to my face!?!"

The three boys froze and Kagome couldn't help but smirk. She'd known Keiji since they were kids and he was a cruel jerk. It was about time somebody gave him a taste of what he deserved. But Keiji wasn't a stupid kid. Taking one look at the dark expression on Inasho's face and the way the boy was cracking his knuckles, Keiji paled. He wasn't about to pick a fight he couldn't win and his friends didn't look eager to start something any more than he did. 

Keiji's forced smile didn't quite hide his anger or his embarrassment as he began to walk away, muttering, "I'm not wasting my time with you losers."

Kagome watched as the boys walked away and breathed a sigh of relief. Grinning, she laughed, "The look on their faces was priceless."

"Yeah." Inasho smirked. However, a second later he jerked himself out of it and growled. "Next time stay out of it. They're right you know. I don't need a girl defending me!"

"Inasho.."

"Just do it okay!" He insisted angrily, pinning Kagome with his fierce look until she was forced to avert her eyes. Knowing he'd made his point he turned away, but not before he grumbled, "The last thing you need is for them to pick on you too."

He said it under his breath. Kagome wasn't supposed to hear the little admission so she kept it to herself. But she couldn't help the sweet smile that crossed her face or the way her heart swelled at his unintentional confession. 

A.N.- Damn kids… Don't you just want to slap them? There is always something that just ruins the mood. However there is still hope, after all, Inasho is human so he might come around a little easier, right? I mean the end of the chapter was promising. *evil laughter echoes* Um… just ignore that… 

*Hugs* Thanks for taking the time to read! Luv ya guys!!!! *_* 


	10. Competition and a bumped head

DISCLAIMER: Sadly, I don not own Inuyasha. I just like playing with them.

Relinquished Destiny

Ch. 10 

By: Lara Winner

Why was it that fate seemed to want Kagome miserable?

She had been flying high as a kite as she resumed her trek to the cafeteria and the little tingly feelings in her chest made her want to laugh. The world was rose colored once again and the heartache was gone. She wasn't going to give up this second chance with Inuya- …er… Inasho. 

Inasho's parting comment told Kagome that he really hadn't minded her intrusion on his behalf. Hopefully this would be a way to get him to lighten up. She didn't want Inasho to see her as a threat. Kagome's goal was the same as before, to be his friend. Time would take care of the rest.

At least that what she wanted to believe, but her flowery little world was violently uprooted when she joined her friends at lunch table. 

Kagome had pulled out her yogurt, her plastic spoon and her bottle water before she realized Yuka still hadn't arrived. That was hardly a reason to be concerned but when Eri nudged Jori in the ribs and the red head followed suit with Kagome she knew something was up. Looking in the direction of their envious stares she nearly choked on her spoonful of yogurt as it turned to stone in her throat.

Yuka, the self-proclaimed destroyer of men, was toying with her newest victim. Her smile was flirtatious as she leaned toward the unsuspecting male, twirling a lock of sable hair around her finger and positively radiating sexual energy. Kagome's blood ran cold as she realized Inasho was her intended prey. Under usual circumstances Kagome would roll her eyes and ignore the scene but this time Yuka's actions were not only annoying, they were disastrous.

Completely oblivious to Kagome's horror, Eri giggled. "I can't believe it. She's actually going to go through with this. I thought she was kidding when she said he was a challenge." 

"Yeah right." Jori countered. "Has Yuka ever backed down from a possible conquest? She's got half the boys in this school in love with her. There's no one she can't get. What I wouldn't give to have her skill." She sighed longingly.

Kagome stiffened, resenting the situation she now found herself in. Trying not to sound angry but unable to completely take the edge out of her voice, she asked, "When did this come about?"

"This morning." Eri replied. "He's been here two days and he hasn't noticed her yet. She was livid. So you know what that means. He's number one on her hit list now."

"These games are ridiculous." Kagome ground out through clenched teeth. Numbly, she pushed her food away suddenly having no appetite. 

"Well, if he's smart he'll catch on quick. If not then he's thinking with the wrong head and he deserves what he gets." It was obvious from Jori's flippant attitude she didn't care either way. As long as the outcome made for some good gossip then it wasn't important. 

It was on the tip of Kagome's tongue to insist he wouldn't. The boy she knew would never fall for such an obvious show of calculated carnal manipulation. But that would have been Inuyasha's reaction. Were Inuyasha and Inasho really that similar? If personalities stayed the same then she would have nothing to worry about. But was it that simple? This wasn't the Sengoku Jidai. Inasho was not a lonely hanyou like Inuyasha. Though he seemed to be a loner by nature, it was obvious it had a great deal to do with his unfamiliar surroundings. Transferring in the middle of the year to a new school in a new country was bound to make a guy withdraw. Yuka could be just the distraction he wanted.

Besides, Kagome admitted, it wasn't like there was anything special about herself. Compared to Yuka she was an ugly duckling. Boys never really gave her a second look. Maybe she was too skinny? Or maybe her hips were too rounded? Or maybe she was just really boring? 

She swallowed hard but couldn't seem to tear her eyes away from the scene unfolding before her. Doubts impaled her with crushing force and sick dread began to form a knot in Kagome's stomach when, as she watched intently, Inasho laughed at something Yuka said. Despite the noise in the packed lunchroom, Kagome could make out snatches of his voice as he began to talk animatedly to Yuka, believing he had her undivided attention. It wasn't fair. Why was he hitting it off with Yuka and yet he couldn't bring himself to say one nice thing to her? Gods, maybe this was one big cosmic joke created to torture her for all the horrible things she'd done in her life.

__

Murderer…

In her mind flashed an image of Onigumo's writhing body and his scream echoed inside her head, resonating in her ears in a haunting cry of pain and fury…

Kagome did not remember standing. She didn't remember blacking out and thankfully she didn't remember hitting the floor. The only thing she knew was one moment the horrible scene that fill her dreams nightly and made her awaken in a cold sweat was suddenly intruding upon her waking thoughts and the next she was looking into the warmest pair of brown eyes she'd ever seen. Houjou smiled in relief.

"I'm going to sit you up okay?" When she nodded he proceeded to prop her back against his chest where he knelt beside her. "Are you okay?" She nodded again and his sweet smile grew wider. 

Blinking in confusion, Kagome looked around finally seeing the crowd that had gathered around her and placed the anxious faces of her friends from the curious on-lookers. Aki was holding her hand, kneeling next to her opposite Houjou, her face pinched in an expression of worry. Weakly Kagome asked, "What happened?"

Aki shrugged and shook her head as she gave Kagome's hand a squeeze. "We don't know. You were perfectly fine and then all of a sudden you turned white as a ghost and you jumped up and then you just fell down. It was really scary."

"You probably shouldn't have returned to school so soon." Houjou offered. "This may be too much for you after what happened before." 

__

You have no idea… Kagome thought ironically. A tiny shudder ran through her body and Houjou shifted her slight form a little closer. The warmth of his body felt safe and for once she was glad he was there.

"Are you in pain? You hit your head pretty hard. I heard it." Aki said with a sympathetic wince.

As if Aki's words magically made the pain appear, suddenly Kagome's head exploded in a dull throbbing ache that made her close her eyes. Her stomach turned and she jerked her eyes back open swallowing hard. "I don't feel so well." She croaked softly, clutching her stomach. 

"That's not good." Houjou warned, his words mirroring Aki's alarmed look.

Coming from behind Kagome, Inasho materialized by her side, his violet eyes narrowed in concentration as he assessed her. "We need to get her to the bathroom. If she has a concussion she's definitely going to be sick and its better if we get her to move, that way she can't black out again. Come on, I'll help you stand her up."

The pain in Kagome's head intensified and she whimpered in protest as she was removed from the warm spot in Houjou's arms. Hands pulled her up and her legs wobbled beneath her. The room spun crazily and she blinked to clear her fuzzy gaze before she glared at Inasho. "Don't move me, just let me sit…"

He shook his head giving her a stern look. "I know what I'm talking about. I've cracked my head plenty of times skateboarding so just trust me on this. Yuka said they called an ambulance so stay conscious, okay."

Inasho's tone left no room for argument and Kagome leaned against Houjou hoping he didn't see the pouting look on her face when he said Yuka's name. Despite the concentration it took to make her legs move properly and not fall over from the dizziness that came and went, a little voice inside Kagome was coherent enough to whisper tauntingly, _I bet he doesn't know your name_. 

Her stomach turned again and she clenched her fists, dragging in deep breaths. It was too much. Why did she have to stay conscious? Sleep sounded so good right now. But the minute they reached the girls bathroom she wanted to hug Inasho for his insight. Latching onto Aki, she barely made it to the toilet before the contents of her stomach emptied.

The constant heaving depleted Kagome's remaining energy and the last things to cross her mind before darkness rushed up to greet her once again was the intensity of Inasho's eyes and the warm concern in Houjou's voice.

****

The living room was cast in the dark shadows of the setting sun. The only light that graced the small room came from the flickering illumination of the television. Huddling deeper in the thick warm blanket that surrounded her, Kagome sniffed and wiped at her tears as the girl and boy on the television embraced. A warm feeling blossomed in her chest and spread slowly, warming the rest of her body in contentment as the couple on the screen then shared a sweet kiss. 

"Why can't real life be like that?" She sighed to no one in particular.

Soft music was Kagome's only reply as the movies credits began to scroll up the screen. She supposed there really wasn't such a thing as "Happily Ever After" after all. The only time love ever went smooth was in the movies. The only time a person ever found their soulmate was in a good steamy novel. The only time fairytales ever came true was in a romance manga. It was a rude awakening but Kagome preferred dealing with reality rather than living in a fantasy. 

Frowning, she pulled the heavy wool blanket around her shoulders more securely trying to comfort herself. Eri's phone call from the night before was still weighing on Kagome's mind and the information her friend had given her still made her head ache. Apparently Inasho had fallen for Yuka's acting abilities and asked her to go the basketball game Monday night. Yuka couldn't contain her triumph at her accomplishment. Kagome couldn't be more heartsick. 

Or sick to her stomach.

Moaning softly, she curled up on the couch and closed her eyes. Sleeping stopped her from thinking and thinking only gave her a headache. She opted for sleeping. It was all she seemed capable of doing for the past two days. Part of her was still exhausted from the five hours she'd spent in the emergency room two nights before. 

Inasho had been correct in his assumptions. The doctors had diagnosed her with a mild concussion. It was nothing serious as long as she got plenty of rest and kept herself well hydrated. The later was the hard part because nothing she put in her stomach settled right. Between the head aches and nausea, sleep was a needed escape. And now with a certain hormone driven boy on her mind, sleep was heaven. 

The soft droning of the television was lulling Kagome into the arms of Morpheus. The inviting oblivion was calling her and she was falling into its gentle embrace, the last vestiges of consciousness fading, when the shrill ringing of the phone jerked her out of her peaceful state.

Grumbling to herself at the intrusion, she answered. "Hello?" Her annoyance was quite apparent.

"Uh…Can I speak to Kagome?" A deep, rich, and all too familiar voice nearly stuttered into the phone.

"Speaking." Kagome squeaked. She gripped the phone tighter, the last of her grogginess disappearing as she recognized Inasho's voice. 

A mortified blush stained her cheeks at her high pitch screech. Her heart slammed against her ribs, a usual reaction when caught off guard by that slightly condescending, over-confident tone. Even when hesitant and faced with an awkward situation, his attitude alone could make you feel as if you were a child caught with your hand in the cookie jar. His composure made her seething mad.

But the overbearing wretch was blissfully unaware of the havoc he was wreaking and continued assuredly, "This is Inasho. We have first period history together."

Kagome rolled her eyes. "I know who you are. You're the new kid." _… and a really freaky carbon copy of the guy who turned my life upside down!_

"That's great. Just rub it in, why don't ya." He snapped as his polite demeanor quickly changed to hot-tempered jerk in the blink of an eye. "Look, I got your number from Yuka. I'm calling about the history project."

Vindictive jealousy gave Kagome the spite to ask coolly, "What about it?"

An exasperated sigh filled her ears. "We're wasting time and Mr. Tuganashi says we have to have rough drafted project outline and at least five cross-reference materials that are conductive to the project by Monday. Incase you didn't realize, we haven't even started yet."

"Well I'm so sorry I've been sick!" Kagome snapped, giving the phone a dirty look as if through the airwaves Inasho could feel the heat of her glare. "Its only Thursday we plenty of time. Chill out, alright."

Instead of the sharp retort she'd been expecting, Inasho asked dryly, "That was quite a bump you got. How are you feeling?"

Kagome paused, a frown creasing her brow. He sounded like he was actually curious and it made her weary. "Better."

"Obviously." He muttered so softly she almost didn't catch the word but before she could set his ears ringing he asked, "Are you going to school tomorrow?"

"No. The doctor wants me off my feet till Monday." She nearly winced, expecting him to explode. Instead he surprised her again when he only seemed mildly annoyed.

"Shit! We have to work something out…" The line fell silent.

Biting her bottom lip, Kagome knew there was only one feasible solution. Since she could not leave the house he would have to come to her. She blushed as she realized that she was actually thinking about inviting Inasho over for a study session. Her heart beat sped up and she suddenly felt nervous. Her mind told her she was being ridiculous but she couldn't help feeling self-conscious. As if she could compete with Yuka when it came to catching a guy's attention. Ha! 

Ignoring the hundreds of butterflies suddenly swarming in her stomach, Kagome steeled her spine and prepared to make a first class fool of herself. If Inasho was so worried about this silly project then he shouldn't object. Why was she freaking out? Closing her eyes she took a deep breath. Sounding deceptively calm, she offered, "You could always drop by my house and we can work on it then."

Several arguments were on the tip of Kagome's tongue. She braced herself to launch into a full tirade to persuade Inasho into accepting her invitation. She thought she was ready for any response he could give…

"Okay."

Kagome blinked.

__

Huh? Did…uh…did he just say…. Okay?

She clutched the phone tighter as her nervousness blossomed into something tangible and it left her in a surprised daze. She was not even aware of her own lame and mumbled, "Okay."

Geez, of all the things she could have said! Now she sounded like a complete moron. Heat flooded her face and she knew she was blushing furiously. It was a good thing they were on the phone so he couldn't see the depth of her embarrassment. As it was the awkward silence was strained and turning uncomfortable as she waited for him to say something, anything. 

"Well?" Inasho demanded suddenly.

She was unable to think and honestly confused. "Well what?"

"Well, where do you live?" He asked laughing. "I can't get to your house it I don't know where it is. I'm not a damned psychic ya know."

Just when she didn't think she could be any more embarrassed she was proven wrong. With her heart pounding in her ears, she stuttered through the directions wishing she could start the whole conversation over. Her inability to come with articulate responses was simply absurd. Since when did her vocabulary consist of one word answers and the dialect of a child in kindergarten? This was all Inasho's fault!

Mrs. Higurashi, using the radar all mothers are given, seemed to know that her daughter was on the phone and poking her head into the living room she gave Kagome a stern smile. "What did I tell you Kagome? You can talk to your friends when you're feeling better. Right now you need to rest." 

Though Ms. Higurashi's command was sated calm and concerned it also left no room for an argument. For the first time Kagome said a silent thank you for her mother's intuition.

"I have to go." She told Inasho while trying to sound apologetic instead of intensely relived. "How about you come after school tomorrow?"

"Sure." He paused, "Uh, take it easy." 

__

He sounds genuine…

She smiled, "See ya tomorrow." 

A.N.- Oh the drama! I can't help it. I'm having too much fun making Kagome run in circles. *bows head shamefully* I am evil. I am the offspring of Naraku that he doesn't talk about… Anyhoo, the next chapter should be uplifting. I think its time Kagome has a little fun, ya know. After all, with everything she's been through I think she deserves it. Don't you? 

*Hugs* Thanks for taking the time to read! Luv ya guys!!!! *_* 


	11. Attack of the opposite sex: part 1

DISCLAIMER: Sadly, I don not own Inuyasha. I just like playing with them.

Relinquished Destiny

Ch. 11 

By: Lara Winner

As Kagome expected, Ms. Higurashi was more than understanding about her daughters study date. Study date? The way her mother said it, with that little hopeful smile, it made Kagome shudder. Perhaps she shouldn't have invited Inasho to her house after all. It wasn't as if they would have any privacy to study and with her mother insisting on calling it a date, she was fit to be tired. 

Worrying her lip in agitation, Kagome glanced at the clock for the hundredth time. Textbooks, note books and folders littered the living room floor surrounding her in a cluttered circle, the evidence of a day spent making up missed schoolwork. Inasho's arrival had loomed in the shadows of her thoughts all morning and as the hours ticked by Kagome's concentration dissipated. Now she found herself staring at the Element Table illustrated in her physics book unable to comprehend what abbreviations answered the questions on the work sheet lying beside it. The words and symbols were blurring together like gibberish and every other second her eyes darted to the clock. He would be arriving any minute-

KNOCK! 

KNOCK!

Before Kagome could move to stand Souta came charging from the kitchen, grinning like the Cheshire cat as he chanted, "Kagome'sgotaboyfriendKagome'sgotaboyfriendsKagome'sgotaboyfriend…"

"Souta!" Kagome cried as she lunged for the little boy. She caught hold of his collar just as he pulled open the front door. She quickly clamped her hand over his mouth and Souta squirmed in her hold, the entire spectacle earning a startled laugh from Inasho.

"Is this a bad time?" He asked lightly, his handsome face lit with an amused smile.

Kagome blushed from the base of her collar to the roots of her raven hair and quickly released Souta taking a step back while trying not to look guilty. Tucking a lock of hair behind her ear she forced a grin. "Don't be silly. Souta was just going to his room, right?"

The eight year old chose to ignore his sister's meaningful stare and leaned his head back to look at Kagome, "Who's this guy? I thought you liked Houjou?" 

Kagome growled and Souta scampered out of the room knowing when his sister her had reached her limit. Anger, embarrassment, complete and utter mortification didn't begin to describe what she was feeling. Leave it to the little creep to open his fat trap and say something so… so… so ridiculous. The little brat knew Houjou wasn't coming over. In fact she had never invited Houjou to the shrine. Where did Souta come up with that idea? As soon as Inasho left Souta was going to be so dead. 

Unable to acknowledge Inasho's questioning stare, she remembered her manners and ushered him inside with a nervous laugh, "I'm sorry about that. Please come in and have a seat." As she spoke she quickly closed the door and resumed her place amidst the explosion of textbooks, worksheets and notebooks.

Inasho did as requested and made himself comfortable on the floor next to Kagome. He shifted his book bag from his shoulder to sitting it in his lap and leaned back against the sofa as he idly observed the unorganized mess. "Looks like you've got a lot of work to catch up on."

"I still have make up work from last week to complete added with what I've missed this week." She explained absently as she reached for her history notebook. "I wish the doctor would let me return to school tomorrow. I don't think I can take much more of this junk piling up."

"Feh." He grunted as he began digging through his backpack. "I think the doctor knows what he's talking about. If you act stupid you'll only make it worse. Common sense should tell you that. Of course it's not like I care what you do." He hastily added.

"I didn't say I was going, geez." She muttered casting the occupied boy a weary glare. He was so negative and pessimistic that at moments like this he reminded her of a grumpy Inuyasha and she wanted to strangle him.

Yet despite her irritation her heart still tripped in her chest and she couldn't help but give him an appreciative glance. The dark school uniform hugged his lean body and his hair fell loose about his shoulders, freed from the band that held it back. A few ebony strands fell forward and Kagome had to still the urge to brush them away from his face. 

Curiously she wondered if his hair was as silky smooth to the touch as it looked. The innocent thought made her fingers itch to entwine themselves into the jet strands and answer her own question. It took sheer will for Kagome to shift her eyes elsewhere. 

But by accident Kagome's gaze landed on his lips, another of Inasho's attributes that caught her attention as her observations strayed into dangerous ground. Inasho was frowning in concentration and his mouth was set in a pout. The expression was boyish and cute. It made his lips look completely kissable. 

Suddenly Kagome thoughts went straight into forbidden territory. What would his kiss taste like? And would his kiss be soft and gentle? Or would he give into passion as easily as he did anger and express his need in a crushing, devouring kiss? Oh how she wished she could find out…

Flushing, she shook her head to clear it of the tempting thoughts and pulled her history textbook from the pile before her. 

Thankfully Inasho was unaware of her thoughts as he changed the subject to the work at hand. "I went to library yesterday and I got everything I could find on Feudal Era weapons and military movements from that period. There wasn't a lot to choose from so this was the best I could do." He said, pulling out seven books and setting them atop a scattered pile of papers. 

Kagome fought down her blush. She could feel Inasho watching her as she skimmed the titles with an approving nod. "Now where do we start?"

After flipping pages, Inasho shoved his history text book under her nose, pointed to a paragraph and shrugged, "Well I was thinking we could start here…"

****

"Sis, Mom said dinner's almost ready!"

The loud screech hailed the arrival of the little boy and the end of the any work that had yet to be accomplished for the two teens. Scampering over the arm of the sofa, Souta crawled along the cushions and then flopped down on his stomach where he was able to lean forward between Kagome and Inasho. The tempting secrecy in witch they whispered and conferred suddenly lost it's mystery and appeal as Souta looked back and forth at their scribbled words, open note books and asked, "What ya guys doing?"

Kagome continued writing, not even pausing to look up as she mumbled, "A project Squirt."

"Hey! I told you not to call me that. I'm gonna tell Mom you're calling me names again."

All Kagome could do was sigh. "Well so much for peace and quiet." Through the corner of her eye she saw Inasho grin.

Before she could comment Souta turned his attention to the silent Inasho. "So are you gonna stay for dinner? My Mom's the greatest cook. I think you should eat with us. What do you think?" 

Souta's innocent yet childish forwardness compelled Kagome to give Inasho an out if he so wanted it. "You don't have to stay if you don't want to. I think we've done about all we can tonight." When Inasho didn't look away she blushed and added, "Of course you're more than welcome to stay…"

"Pleeeaassee!" Cried Souta, nearly bouncing on the sofa. "Its not very often we have people over. Unless you consider Kagome's silly friends people, but I hate it when they come over."

Inasho eyed Souta while trying to keep his amusement at bay. "And why is that?" 

"Because they're all GIRLS!" Said Souta, horrified. 

This time Inasho laughed at the stricken expression on the little boy's face and the way his 'they're girls' explanation seemed to clarify why he thought the were so scary. Reaching over, he ruffled Souta's hair. "Right now you think girls are icky but they aren't that bad kid."

Souta beamed under the attention. He rolled his eyes in Kagome's direction and whined, "Yeah but I bet you don't have a sister."

With a shrug Inasho admitted, "Actually I do have an older sister."

"Really?"

At the younger boy's enthusiastic response Inasho nodded, "She's pain to live with," then his grin turned evil, "probably just like Kagome."

"Ya wanna trade?" Souta offered in complete seriousness.

Trying not smile at his childish innocence, Kagome huffed, "Thanks a lot Squirt. I love you too." However, before another comeback could be uttered Mrs. Higurashi announced that dinner was ready and ushered everyone into the dining room.

The meal was relatively calm, with both Kagome's mother and Grandfather asking polite questions about Inasho's recent relocation to Tokyo. Souta seemed content stuffing his face but Kagome found herself watching Inasho across the dinner table taking in his obvious manners. Unlike Inuyasha and his atrocious eating habits, Inasho didn't shovel his food down without a care as to how crude it might appear. In the presence of his elders he spoke politely and actually chewed his food instead of simply inhaling it.

Kagome realized how silly it was to be surprised and yet she still found herself wondering in just how many more ways were the dog-demon and the skater-boy different. It was quite apparent that while Inasho's American upbringing left a few minor culture gaps, all in all he could pull off being a gentleman very well. And if the cheery smile on Mrs. Higurashi's face was any indication, she was charmed by the young boy. 

But as all things come to and end so did their peaceful meal. When Kagome's Grandfather began talking about dentures and how good it was to actually have teeth again, she almost choked and wanting nothing more than to sink into the floor and die from the humiliation. Inasho, to his credit, had enough respect to keep his humor to himself but if the silent shaking of his shoulders was any indication, it took obvious effort. Souta, on the hand, had no such qualms and nearly fell out of his chair laughing, making Kagome's face turn an unbecoming shade of red. It took a few moments for the uproar of laughter to settle and she sighed in relief when Souta grabbed Inasho by the hand and dragged him away from the dinner table blabbering about video games, level codes and must-see moves.

Back in the living room a weary, tired and still a little mortified Kagome sent a silent thank you to the Gods for a moment alone. She could hear Souta's laughter and Inasho's soft chuckles coming from the little boy's bedroom up the stairs. She couldn't help but smile to herself as she collected her books and papers and returned them to her book bag. It took a half an hour to sort through the mess she'd made of her schoolwork but when she was done the living room was once again spotless. 

Silently Kagome made her way up the stairs, stopping only to lean against the doorframe of Souta's room. There before her eyes was a moment of male bonding in the process and her smile widened. Her little brother was lying in his bed on his stomach madly working the game controller in his hands, the tip of his tongue sticking out the side of his mouth and his childish face scrunched up in a fierce frown of concentration as he stared intently at the television. A giggle nearly escaped her lips as she noticed Inasho position was nearly similar, only he propped himself up on one elbow and every now and then he would curse softly.

Both boys were oblivious to her presence and Kagome found the moment too endearing to disturb. 

"Now take that!" Inasho cried as the image on the screen blinked in a colorful display. "Sorry kiddo but nobody gets past me."

"That's not fair! I pressed A+C+D+ L just like you said but nothing happened." Souta grumbled. "I say we play again."

"I'm still gonna kick your butt." Inasho bragged confidently, once again becoming the picture of Inuyasha in Kagome's eyes.

Souta grinned. "Oh yeah, we'll see about that."

Two more rounds were played and finally Souta was victorious. He squealed in delight and scrambled to his feet, jumping up and down on the bed singing, "I am the best! I am the best! I am the best!"

Dramatically, Inasho flopped on his back and cracked one eye open to glare at Souta. "Alright! You slaughtered me. I get the point."

Souta was going to gloat more but just then he looked up and saw Kagome. Instantly he flopped down on the bed crossed legged and smiled innocently. Inasho followed the little boy's gaze and upon seeing her standing in the doorway he chuckled what sounded like 'busted'. Injecting just enough pleading into his voice so that she couldn't resist Souta asked, "Um… don't tell Mom okay?"

It was too perfect a chance for Kagome to resist teasing. Cocking her head to the side thoughtfully, she sat down beside Souta and explained in her most sugar coated voice, "But I don't think I can do that. See, Mom would get pretty mad if she knew you were jumping on the bed and if you want me to be quiet about this then you owe me." She grinned evilly. "Big."

"Uh…Sis?"

"I'm thinking you get to help Gramps with the shrine on Saturdays." Kagome said, lifting her chin triumphantly,. Glancing at Inasho out of the corner of her eye she saw him move to sit up while watching the exchange with knowing interest.

Souta looked as if her idea were the black plague. "No way! That is so boring." He whined in response. 

"Oh well," she shrugged nonchalantly and started to rise to her feet. "I'll just go tell Mom you were trashing her furniture again." 

"No!"

The cry was followed by all 63 pounds of little boy as Souta tackled Kagome back on the bed. Though he was little, he was quick and his fingers were nimble as he began poking her ribs hitting all her ticklish spots. Shrieking in surprised laughter she fought to catch Souta's hands but the little sneak called to Inasho for back up. To her ultimate surprise, so much so that she almost lost her breath, strong hands grasped her wrists leaving her at the eight year olds mercy. 

Laughing so hard she was crying, Kagome looked up at Inasho's wide grin and tried to sound angry as she accused, "You traitor! Whose side are you on?"

He shook his dark head and grinned smugly. "Us guys gotta stick together."

"Haven't you ever heard of chivalry?" She gasped while trying to squirm loose. The motion only sent her pressing closer against Inasho and suddenly her heart wasn't pounding from laughter alone. Thankful that her blush was hidden behind the flush of trying to hold off their joint attack, Kagome warned playfully, "You two are so dead!" 

Sharing a meaningful look with Souta, Inasho merely tightened his hold. "If we let you up that is…"

A.N.- Okay, like I promised a light hearted chapter. It's about time poor Kagome got a break from the constant heartache that she's suffered. *lowers eyes shamefully* I'm so so so so so very sorry this chapter is a week late. I kinda got stuck on how I wanted it to come out and then a lot of crap has been going on between family and work so I haven't had much free time anyway. I can not promise that I will have a chapter out every week but I will try. I don't plan on letting this fic take forever and a day to complete itself nor am I going to abandon it. I'm having too much fun writing it.

*Sighs* reminds me of high school…

Um, next chapter gets serious again but I don't think it will be quite as angsty and pervious chapters. Thus the plot thickens… I really need to get this fic finished because I have a dozen other ideas for fics but I don't want to get started with them until I get a good bit of this story out of the way and I must admit it is FAR from over. *scratches head* Actually we're kinda still in the beginning…

*Hugs* Thanks for taking the time to read! Luv ya guys!!!! *_* 


	12. Attack of the opposite sex: part 2

DISCLAIMER: Sadly, I don not own Inuyasha. I just like playing with them.

Relinquished Destiny

Ch. 12 

By: Lara Winner

Kagome had thought she understood all there was to know about boys. Having grown up in a the shrine with her little brother and her Grandfather and then having spent two years in the company of an overbearing hanyou and a perverted monk, she had thought she had seen everything. However, the male need to torment and subjugate weaker beings was still a concept Kagome could not grasp.

The pitifully annoyed cries coming from Buyo was a steady contradiction to the chuckles and giggles coming from Souta and Inasho. Having pleaded mercy herself, Kagome was now watching as the boy's attention was now focused on their new victim.

The overweight cat was being held by its front paws and lifted so it balanced on its back legs and between the loud meows and laughter, Inasho tugged the cat forward making it walk through the hastily arranged matchbox cars while making the sound effects of explosions. 

"And here he comes! No! Oh the horror! Oh the humanity! The fifty ton Buyo is back and he's destroying everything in his way!"

Kagome watched Inasho's antics with one delicate brow arched in amusement. But when Souta fired a foam dart at the cat's stomach she felt the need to draw the line. "Uh.... guys? Don't you think that's a little mean."

"Aw relax Sis,"Souta grinned as he reached out and scratched Buyo's exposed flabby tummy. "That didn't hurt, did it boy?"

Once again the helpless cat let out a pleading meow but still appeared too lazy to try and bite or claw his attackers. As a matter of fact, Kagome couldn't recall a time when Buyo was violent or aggressive. Although she had to admit that it would make the whole scene even funnier if the passive cat would snap and bite both boys for being so cruel. The poor thing didn't need to play Godzilla with them. 

"All right that's enough. No more torturing my cat." She ordered, holding her arms out in a silent request for the miserable animal. 

After a glance between both Souta and herself, reluctantly but wisely, Inasho conceded to her request, muttering to the cat, "You lucked out pal." 

Safe, Buyo purred and snuggled into Kagome=s arms while nuzzling her chin in his way of saying thank you. Absently she rubbed his ears, shaking her head helplessly as similar memories flooded her thoughts. 

This was another scene that was eerily familiar to her precious memories of Inuyasha. Countless times she'd caught the dog-demon playing with Buyo, holding him upright by his front paws and sometimes by the hind legs dangling him head first above the ground. Usually she would scold him and it would give the cat a few moments peace until Inuyasha's boredom returned with a vengeance. 

Even now Inasho's expression was a near replica of the face in her mind and Kagome's heart lurched in her chest. The pain was still there. Though, not nearly as intense as it had been, the heartache still remained buried under the surface and it peaked at moments like this, when she was faced with Inasho just being himself. 

For the first time she finally understood what Inuyasha was feeling when he compared Kikyo and herself. How do you make a choice when the heart is divided? Though she barely knew Inasho she was already drawn to him, seeing past the visage of a stranger and right into the heart of a boy she deeply cared for. But the soul he possessed did not erase Inuyasha from her mind and now, more than ever she was left to her memories trying to piece together just where the past fit in with the present.

It wasn't as if she could brush this off. Though she may have been granted a second chance it was far from the way she had fantasized her fairy tale to end. She had awoken her hanyou and he was supposed to love her and they should have defeated the evil villain together and lived happily ever after. A simple ending to a simple story.

__

Yeah right…

There was nothing simple about the past, the future, and certainly not about the present. Inasho would never understand why her eyes still held that tiny, almost unnoticeable shadow of hurt in their depths. He would never believe her if she told the tale of Inuyasha. Perhaps, even now, to call it a reality seemed incomprehensible. But Kagome new it was real. Her emotions were real and the sweet ache in her chest was telling her that while the past may be gone her wounds would not follow suit for a long time.

And while they remained, so did the guilt. A part of her was ashamed at how easily her emotions seemed to transfer from the hanyou to human. Granted it was hard to look at Inasho without seeing Inuyasha but should she have opened herself that quickly? Did that make her feelings any less true? Didn't that classify as betrayal of Inuyasha memory? 

And was that fair to Inasho? 

Kagome almost winced. Was that the soul reason behind this attraction? When she looked at Inasho did she see a normal teenager like herself or did she see a troubled boy only borrowing his human form for as long as the new moon would allow? 

To be honest, Kagome didn't have an answer. At what point was she supposed to separate her feelings, considering she barely recognized the twisted muddle they had become? The last thing in the world that she wanted to happen was to hurt Inasho in any way, but in truth she was afraid to search her soul too deeply for the answers that could lay her guilt to rest. 

A hand waved right in front of her face and Kagome flinched, leaning back and blinking as she was jolted back to the present. Inasho frowned impatiently.

"Ya know, I'm getting tired of you zoning out on me. What the hell are you always daydreaming about?"

Kagome stuttered a lame apology but Inasho merely brushed her off, rising to his feet. "It's getting late I have to get home before my folks freak."

"Don't go!" Souta whined, latching himself onto the older boys arm with both of his own. "You said you would teach me some English remember?"

"I didn't forget." He amended, trying to tug his arm free. "Next time kiddo." 

It took Inasho the flight of stairs and almost to the front door before he managed to get Souta to release him. After many promises to return and a pinkie swear to seal the deal, finally Souta muttered a goodbye and ran back up the stairs to his room. As his heavy footsteps faded away Kagome lifted the book bag lying on the floor beside her own, turned to Inasho and grinned.

"Are you so sure I'm going to invite you back again?" 

There was nonchalant and down right arrogant air about him as he shrugged, "Yup."

Kagome's eyes widened. "Oh really?"

"As a matter of fact I know you will." He smirked, folding his arms across his chest and looked down at her with a determined gleam in his eye.

"Name one good reason why I should?" She countered, not bothering to hide her irritation. It started as teasing but as seemed to be the case of late, the sparks were starting to fly as was her heart at the intense way Inasho was watching her. 

"Well let's see... there is the project we have to finish and," his grin grew even wider, "Souta isn't going to leave you alone till you do."

With a huff she shoved the backpack none too gently against his chest. "And what if I don't?"

"Omph!" He grunted, wincing while clutching at the heavy bag as not to drop it. "Damn it! That hurt." 

Kagome rolled her eyes. "Oh poor baby."

Inasho's lips curled in a sneer. "I'm warning you. Don't be a smart ass."

"Warning me?" She echoed with an exasperated laugh. "And what are you going to do about it?" 

Inasho opened his mouth to reply but instead of the sharp comeback she was expecting, he paused and appeared to be on the verge of blushing. There was a wicked gleam in his eye that did not go unnoticed and Kagome's heart nearly jumped out of her chest as it started to pound in furious rhythm. Absently holding her breath, she waited form him to say something... 

Anything?

He was not going to speak his mind and the realization fueled Kagome=s irritation even further. AI knew you were all bark and no bite. You know you really have some nerve. You just assume the world revolves around you. I'd hate to be around when you get your reality check."

In seconds Inasho's expression changed, almost becoming dangerous. Violet eyes flashed and the pale pink of his cheeks grew darker as anger came to life, blazing in his fixed gaze. "Feh! Is this supposed to hurt my feelings? You know, I don't understand you. One minute you seem normal and then the next you go completely freakin' psycho on me. Do you have like… I dunno, constant PMS or something?"

Along with anger there was also amusement in Inasho's gaze. However Kagome anger reached warning level as she sputtered, "You…you.." 

"What's the matter? Trying to think of something intelligent to say? Take your time, I understand it's difficult." 

Like a rubber band pulled to tight, with a decided snap Kagome's anger broke free. A hard shove set Inasho with his back against the wall and no means of escaping the violent female standing before him. Leaning up, nearly standing on her toes, she closed the distance between them as she hissed, "You are a selfish, arrogant, conceited, immature, overbearing, miserable, Jerk!" 

If she were to back up she would have found the way Inasho was clutching his book bag against his chest in a defensive stance quite funny. But Kagome's face was mere inches from his own and those wide violet eyes of his were softening slightly with a grudging look of admiration. Perhaps giving him a taste of his own medicine was the only way to win his respect. It had worked with Inuyasha-

Kagome almost shook her head to dispel the thought. This was different and now was as good a time as any to consciously stop making these pointless comparisons. She refused to live in the past, not when there was no place for her there or in her precious dog-demon's heart.

To her amazement it hardly took any effort to clear her mind. All she had to do was realize exactly how close she was to Inasho, how warm his breath felt as it brushed her cheek, and how incredibly mesmerizing his eyes could be with their flecks of blue amidst the deep purple.

__

Was it getting harder to breathe?

The sudden rush of giddy warmth that tingled from her stomach all the way up to her flushed face was answer enough and unconsciously she licked her lips in nervous habit. The heat of their stare was paused for a mere second as Inasho's eyes dropped to follow the innocently seductive movement. He swallowed hard, the only action that gave her any clue as to what was going on behind his neutral expression.

Part of her mind observed their position and warned that this was silly, only hormones and nothing more. But another part of her mind, a much louder part, was excitedly awaiting what was going to happen next. Her heart was pounding, her hands trembled and she wasn't sure if it was her imagination or if their faces really were getting closer…

"Kagome, honey, can you come here for a minute?"

Ms. Higurashi's call from the kitchen had the effect of ice water pouring down her spine. Kagome jerked back and blushed, and through the corner of her eye saw Inasho do the same. Her voice was embarrassingly breathless and she called, "Coming Mom."

__

Damn! My luck couldn't have lasted a few more minutes…

Not meeting her eyes, Inasho slung the backpack over his shoulder. "Uh, I guess I better get going."

Kagome nodded, "Okay."

Inasho turned to the door and was about to twist the doorknob when he suddenly paused and asked, "I almost forgot, are you going to the game Monday?"

The fact that he could have asked her this first period Monday morning did not escape Kagome's attention but she overlooked the fact and grinned "Probably. Aki won't let me live it down if I miss her first game of the year."

In the blink of an eye his usual casually aloof expression was back on his face. "Yuka and I are going so I guess I'll see you there."

"When did you two hook up?" She blurted out, only thinking better of it when it was too late to call back. All she could do was hope her voice sounded curious and nothing more. 

This time it was Inasho's turn to blush. "Ah..well.. it.. its not really like that.. I mean she pretty cool and all but-"

"So you don't like her then?" Kagome asked, internally struggling with the conflicting feelings of hope and the desire to tear Yuka's hair out for starting this mess.

"Hey! I didn't say that so don't go putting words in my mouth!" He glowered, blushing even darker. "Just lay of the inquisition. Ask Yuka about it, not me.

Before Kagome could reply the call of her name and the impatience in her Mother's tone demanded the conversation be put on hold. She sighed, "You better go. I'll se you later." 

With a nod and grunt that Kagome assumed was goodbye, Inasho was out the door leaving her to try and figure out just what to make of everything that had happened in the course of the night. 

There was definitely another side to Inasho Sigai and now, more so than ever, she was determined to see it more often. The only thing that made her uneasy was what had happened moments ago. Did they really almost kiss? And if so then what the hell was she supposed to think now? It was all so confusing, almost too confusing. Trudging to the kitchen, she realized that only one thing was clear. 

It was time she had a talk with Yuka.

A.N.- Hehehehe….

Can I hear somebody say cat fight?

Actually, don't get your hopes up because so far it's a sweet little talk their going to have, ya know, the kind you have you best friend is trying to take your guy… 

Sorry about the weeks of disappearance. Like it says in my bio, the internet is evil and I'm at the mercy of friends until I get connected again. I truly appreciate all of the support you guys have given me and I want you to know that every review I get means more than I could ever say. So from the bottom of my heart I thank you for putting up with me and my late updates.

*Hugs* Thanks for taking the time to read! Luv ya guys!!!! *_*


	13. The fine line between

DISCLAIMER: Sadly, I don not own Inuyasha. I just like playing with them.

Relinquished Destiny

Ch. 13 

By: Lara Winner

It was the scent that captured her.

Spring was in full bloom. The air was alive with the fragrance of lavender and oleander. The blades of green grass tickled the tops of her bare feet as she closed her eyes and turned her face to the warm sunlight. Bathed in its golden rays her heart felt free, like that of a child caught in the midst of a glorious fantasy. With each deep breath her soul soared upon the simple joys of nature and it's elaborate utopia.

Did Kikyo-sama not preach that the precarious balance of life depended on more that just wisdom and love, it also needed the surrounding world in ways beyond human comprehension. It was an overlooked truth. With the war-ravaged land slowly decaying under the ashes of death, this was such a day to attest to his teachings. 

She hefted the partially filled herb basket against her hip with one hand while idly toying with the prayer beads around her neck with the other, and continued down the familiar path that led away from the village. Her private sanctuary was close. Secure in the knowledge that Kikyo-sama would not notice her absence, she tarried along without a care, stealing these few moments of simple contentment for herself. There was much to be done in the village and that was not forgotten, only ignored to enjoy the sun.

As the thick brush gave way to a small clearing, the abandoned wooden structure rising out of the ground was as much a comfort as the clear blue sky. The Bone Eaters Well. It was a morbid name and perhaps the weather-aged wood did seem out of place in the middle of the lush sea of green, but the tiny well had been the source of legend and myth for generations. Though the well had run dry years ago the rumors of strange noises in the night and the phantom demons that roamed the forest in the cover of darkness still succeeded in frightening the village children. Even in the light of day no villager dared walk this path. All except one.

In the mid-morning light or in the pitch back of midnight, it did not matter, this small piece of history was hers. It seemed her guardian spells were working quite nicely. No one would desecrate her little piece of earth. This well was a part of her, she could not explain why, only that being within it's perimeters brought about clarity of mind that the sacred ritual meditation in the shrine could not begin to tap into. It felt as if there was power here, a connection that spanned time and space, and it left her with complete inner peace.

Setting down the basket, she assumed her usual position on the wide rim of the well, folding her legs beneath her and bringing her hands together to concentrate. Despite the reassuring buoyancy the calm serenity the beauty of the day created, the foreboding feeling that had been plaguing her of late was still very vivid in her mind and heart. The Elders called it 'The Sight', a gift possessed by miko's to feel out the future, sometimes with visions and other times with simple inner urgings of varying emotions. 

The persistent feeling that something was not right had been growing steadily stronger these last few weeks. It was the nameless fear that had awoken her screaming from her dreamless sleep the night before that had prompted this visit to her sacred place. Peering down into the inky depths of the well she took a deep breath, letting the wonderfully scented air calm her frayed nerves and clear her mind for the purpose at hand.

Closing her eyes, she began to softly chant. The melodic rhythm of her voice soon pulled her out of her surroundings and into the vast realm of extended consciousness where time and reason ceased to exist in favor of spiritual awareness. Suddenly, out of the dark space images formed. 

Flames engulfed the shrine and their brilliance bathed the ebony sky in an orange glow. From every direction came waves of chaos and panic. Swords gleamed in the firelight as the bloodstained blades were brought down upon their next victim. The frightened screams of those trying to escape, the pitiful cries of the wounded, and the sounds of the a fierce battle raging blended into an eerie harmony of horror as death held its cryptic dance in the wake of the corpses that were disseminated over holy ground… 

Kagome screamed, jerking upright in her bed as her wide, terrified eyes darted around the darkness looking for any remainders of the horrible image that played before her eyes. 'Only a dream' was repeated under her breath in a litany to gain her bearings once again. Cold sweat trickled down her face and her chest felt crushed under the weight of fear and confusion at what she had just dreamt.

Kicking off the sheet that was tangled about her legs, Kagome had to force herself to realize that she was in her room, in the present age and not huddled in her sleeping bag in the Sengoku Jidai. A chill went down her spine, echoing the empty feeling in her heart and she pulled the discarded sheet around her shoulder and stepped over to the window. Moonlight cast a gossamer sheen over the ledge and pooled on the floor by her feet. Raising her gaze to the world outside, Kagome found herself looking across the yard at the well house. 

_My dream was about the well… _

Something deep inside compelled her to go there. Pulling the white cotton more securely about her, she almost questioned her sanity. Logic told there was nothing it could possibly accomplish, but none-the-less the strong urge to investigate remained. Ever since her return to the present she had hesitated to go to the well. Perhaps going would help her sort out her fears and put a new perspective on the here and now. Hope spurred her forward. 

Without a backward glance she crept from her room, down the creaking stairs and out of the back door, all the while holding her breath and praying that she could successfully avoid getting caught. The fact that she had not bothered to put on shoes barely registered in her mind but the feel of the cool grass beneath her feet only kept her dream vivid in the back of her thoughts.

Kagome was certain the person in her dream was a girl. She had watched the young woman walk the very trail she herself had taken when trying to escape a certain infuriated hanyou so she could return home. But unlike simple observation, Kagome could feel the girl's thoughts. They were crystal clear in her mind, unprovoked and genuine. She knew, without being told this girl's emotions. The terror that had griped her was still pouring over Kagome in shattering pulses. The sadness and anger were still humming in Kagome's blood.

When she reached the steps to the well house her pace slowed. The pounding of her heart rang sharply in her ears drowning out the song of the crickets hiding in the darkness. With a trembling hand she pushed open the wooden door, wincing as the rusty hinges gave a loud groan. 

Kagome wasn't sure what she was expecting to see in the darkness but the musty and dank scent that filled the room was like balm to an open wound. It mirrored the dream, the feeling of peace and calm that even the darkness could not vanquish. And on it's heels there was also the anticipation, just as she used to feel when she would prepare to leave for the past, yet it also brought up a longing to return to that fairy tale life once more.

Sitting on the first step that led down the small embankment, Kagome's eyes grew accustomed to the dark. She smiled sadly as the well and the wooden cover became visible from the moonlight spilling in through the open door. A reminiscent piece of her soul wanted to open the well's cover and peer into the inky depths that was her precious gateway to the past not so long ago. Yet she didn't move knowing that it would only be another rude awakening to this life, in this age. This time around it would bring as much heartache as it would comfort.

On the heels of that realization the dream came rushing back making a worried frown cross Kagome's face. She was confused. What was the dream about? Having decided the person in her mind was female only left more questions to be answered. She had not seen the young woman's face and yet Kagome knew instinctively when the girl closed her eyes and she even knew the many herbs that were gathered in the basket. If the person had turned around she would have been wearing a necklace made of prayer beads and Kagome knew with certainty that their purpose was to subdue miko powers dangerously uncontrolled.

How she knew such intimate information she did not know. Instead she tried to recall what was plain to see. The time had obviously been in the past for she recognized the priestess style of dress to be exactly what Kaede and Kikyo had worn. And the girl had thought of Kikyo, not with fear or in agitation, but with humbling respect and admiration. Did that mean in her dream Kikyo was still alive? If so then what had become of Inuyasha? Kaimi had said he used the jewel to become human. Was she now supposed to see the life they created for themselves?

Despite the sharp stab of pain that went right through her heart another disturbing thought came to light. The nightmarish images at the end of the dream were vivid and seemed so real that fear, unlike anything she had ever experienced before, had woken her in pure panic. What was she to make of them? Was it premonition of what could have been or was the massacre part of the past that she had created?

Upon relinquishing her life with Inuyasha and the others Kagome created a new future in the process. However that also went both ways. Onigumo did not become Naraku. Kikyo was not murdered nor was she led to believe it was by Inuyasha's hand. Inuyasha carried out his desires to become human and the Shikon no Tama was destroyed. But fifty years had passed between then and when she had arrived in the Feudal Era. Within that time span the entire destiny of the village was changed. Now Kagome was left to wonder if it was for better or for worse.

Was the village destroyed? If so then what became of Kaede, Kikyo and Inuyasha?

Lowering her head in her hands, Kagome dragged in a deep breath against the sick feeling in her stomach. Her head was throbbing in rhythm with each beat of her heart. Frustration brought tears to her eyes. What if she had made a grave mistake? She had put all of her trust in Kaimi and she had taken a leap of faith that she would set everything right once again. But what if the outcome she created was far worse than the one that existed?

Despite her confusion, Kagome understood what Inasho's presence in the future meant. Inuyasha had indeed become human and as a human he had died. The hot tears that filled her eyes began to spill over one at a time. A sad smile crossed her lips. She had excepted this bit of information already. Now that she was thinking of Inasho she found that it wasn't so hard to draw in a breath. The memory of his grin form earlier that evening filled her mind and her heart swelled with affection. 

But Kagome's small smile almost faltered because in all honesty she wasn't sure she could call the emotion love. She couldn't deny that what she did feel was strong and when he was nice, which didn't seem to be a usual thing, she was fascinated by his personality. It was strange how her feelings for both Inuyasha and Inasho were different and at the same time very similar. But had she really been in love with Inuyasha? He was her hero and her best friend but even adding attraction to the equation did not equal love, did it?

__

If it wasn't love, her mind whispered, _then how do you explain your broken heart? Inuyasha chose Kikyo and it crushed you. Inasho is choosing Yuka and it hurts just the same. You might want to deny it but you can't because you know you love them both._

Okay, so maybe she did love them both. Her smile turned to a grimace as she tucked the frightening dream into the back thoughts for later contemplation and focused on the new problem at hand. She had made her choice and Inuyasha's happiness had come first. This meant it was time to move forward. And since it seemed pretty obvious that she was falling hard for Inasho it was up to her to either sit back and let Yuka take center stage or put up a fight and get what she wanted this time around.

Kagome knew she could no longer live in the past but that didn't mean she couldn't learn from it. The entire triangle between Kikyo, Inuyasha and herself had taught her a great deal about emotions and how they could save you or destroy you. Maybe if she had tried harder and laid her emotions on line for Inuyasha to see it would have made a difference. But she hadn't. However she would be damned before she made the same mistake twice. 

Accepting the self appointed mission, Kagome's smile returned. Laughing softly, she shook her head at the nervous feeling in her stomach. She would make Yuka understand and she would put a stop to her friend's silly games before Inasho ended up getting hurt. And once they were in the clear, Kagome was going to try something she'd never done before. 

__

It couldn't be that hard to flirt…. 

Right?

**** 

The dread of confronting Yuka had plagued Kagome all weekend. Several times she had found herself picking up the phone, ready to dial Yuka's familiar number only to put the phone back in it's place and nibble on her bottom lip nervously. Confronting Yuka was never a pleasant thing and when boys were the topic of discussion it was suicide. Kagome had tried to psyche herself up and even went as far as to give herself a forced pep-talk in the mirror before leaving for school Monday morning. Through out the entire day she had delayed pulling Yuka aside but the "little chat" could not be helped, and as the bell sounded hailing the end of her final class, her anxiety increased to the point of near panic. 

Standing just beside the main exit, Kagome watched her fellow students file out into the schoolyard scanning the tick crowd for Yuka. The mental urgings prompting her to relax were not having their desired effect. As her nervousness manifested it's self into anger Kagome let out a frustrated sigh. If she was to be completely honest with herself she wasn't even sure why she was bothering. Inasho was nothing more than a selfish, stupid, ignorant pig-headed, hot tempered, male!

As much as she hated to admit it, Kagome was still fuming over that morning's events. She wasn't sure what she had been expecting after Thursday's enjoyable evening but when Inasho began the day by snapping and growling at her for no apparent reason she had lost her temper in return. After countless jibes being thrown back and forth, each one more spiteful than the last, she found herself storming from the classroom swearing she would never talk to the baka again.

__

So why am I about to start world war III with one of my best friends over HIM?

She found the question tumbling across her mind for the hundredth time and the answer remained the same. If Inasho wanted to pretend he was so unapproachable that was fine, however she wasn't buying it for one minute. Any defense Inasho could build she would find a way to knock down juts to prove she could. If he wanted to play games then so be it, but that still didn't solve her problem with Yuka, and upon spotting the brunette Kagome muttered a curse that would make a sailor blush. 

Handling pompous hanyou's wasn't the only thing she had learned from Inuyasha, although cussing probably wasn't the best personality trait she should emulate. Ignoring the glances cast her way from the people standing close enough to hear her soft exclamation, Kagome called out to Yuka and steeled herself for what was to come.

Yuka nodded a greeting as Kagome fell in step beside her. Her glossy lips were pursed in a pout and her manicured nails were impatiently drumming the textbook she carried in her arms as she cast quick glances about the yard. Tossing her hair over her shoulder, she sighed, "Inasho said he'd meet me by the double doors and of course he's nowhere around, imagine that."

Swallowing hard at her annoyed tone, Kagome foundered for something to say and after a moment managed to reply, "I'm sure he's around here somewhere."

"Hmph!" Yuka grunted. With out an elaboration forthcoming, both girls walked in silence for another moment before Yuka cast a side-glance at Kagome and mused, "If it wasn't for Aki I wouldn't even stay for the game. There's better things Inasho and I could do. What on earth possessed her to play basketball this year? I do not understand her." 

At the mention of Inasho, accompanied by the disturbing mental picture that flared to life in Kagome's mind, all concentration faltered and the rest of Yuka's prattle to fell on deaf ears. Kagome was not the least interested in what Yuka wanted, especially when fighting the urge to clobber the girl over the head with her book bag. Violence was not something Kagome encouraged but the need to vent the jealousy that was seething inside her was nearly overwhelming.

Biting her lip, counting to ten, then taking a calming breath, Kagome was finally able to unclench her jaw and begin the conversation that was long over due. Folding her arms across her chest defensively, she decided the best way to broach the subject was to be blunt. So to gain the element of surprise she blurted out the first thing that came to mind.

"Is it really necessary to play with Inasho like you've done with everyone else?"

The stiffening of Yuka's frame was almost imperceptible but Kagome caught the involuntary action and nearly gulped. While they both continued walking, neither pausing in stride, Kagome kept her eyes glued to the ground, afraid to raise them any higher. She didn't need to see Yuka's expression to confirm her friend's anger; it was clear as day in her voice.

"Excuse me?"

"Yuka," Kagome admonished with the appearance of perfect calm, "You know what I'm talking about so don't play dumb with me."

The dry, bitter chuckle that followed Kagome's demand carried a hint of spite as Yuka wasted no time jumping right to the point. "For your information Inasho is pursuing me and what my plans are for him are none of your concern, so do us both a favor and mind your own business."

"No I won't!" Kagome hissed back, "I don't think what you're doing is fair at all."

Yuka sneered, "I don't remember asking for your opinion!" walking faster in her growing agitation. 

"Well you're going to get my opinion and a whole lot more if you don't stop it right now! Inasho is a really neat guy and I'm not going to let you make a fool of him just because you think it's amusing. You're not gonna hurt him!"

Kagome's fists were clenched tight and her face was flushed from the adrenaline rush going through her body. It felt good to finally be able to say what was on her mind and in her heart instead of holding it back and hoping it would eventually go away. However, Yuka's smug grin told her that she wasn't exactly making progress. Resisting the urge to growl and stamp her foot in frustration, Kagome instead grabbed hold Yuka's arm and forced her to stop.

Looking the taller girl straight in the eye, Kagome warned, "You really should think twice about this because I'm not joking. I'm not going to let you mess with his head."

Yuka was shrewd and having known Kagome since they were children it was no surprise when she pinpointed Kagome's true motive. "You like Inasho. It's so obvious now that I think about it. But what about Houjou? You string him along and let him follow you around like a pathetic puppy. That's just as bad as beating boys at their own game if you ask me."

The speculation only made Kagome angrier. "That's not the same and you know it. I'm not leading Houjou on or anything. I haven't even been on a date with him. What you do hurts peoples feelings. I'm not going to stand by and let it happen again." 

"Really?" Yuka sighed, "And how are you going to stop me? Are you going to tell Inasho that I'm a really mean bitch and I'm only going to dump him as soon as he admits he's crazy about me? I don't think that's going to work because he's not going to believe you. And do you want to know why he's not going to believe you?" her grin turned cruel, "…because he thinks you're a mental case and a total looser!"

When Kagome could only stare in dumbfounded confusion Yuka giggled, "Yeah, that's right… he doesn't like you at all. So, I don't know why you're all concerned about him, I mean, it seems to me like you're wasting your time."

"He told you that?" Kagome asked, surprised her voice didn't waver since she felt as if she would burst into tears at any second. Even worse, she suddenly felt every sick.

"Sure did. I wasn't going to tell you but since you decided to jump my case and everything I guess it doesn't make a difference now, does it?" Yuka asked sweetly.

"No it doesn't." Kagome agreed softly. "Regardless of what he thinks of me it's still not right to use someone like that. That's really selfish of you."

This time Yuka laughed outright. "Oh that's rich! Now you're gonna act like a saint and pretend that the fact that he can't stand you doesn't bother you. You know something, you're jealous. That's what this is about. It kills you that I get all the boys, and that I'm prettier and that I'm smarter than you are. You just want to make me look like the bad guy."

Kagome blinked her eyes rapidly, biting her lip to the point of drawing blood so she wouldn't cry. Swallowing at the tennis ball that felt lodged in her throat, she winced, "I thought as a friend I was supposed to be honest with you. I guess I'm only a friend to you as long as I look the other way and let you get away with whatever you want. That's not real friendship Yuka. One day you're going to realize that you only get back what you put out and at the rate you're going now, you'll never have any real friends and you'll never have somebody to love. You'll always be alone 'cuz nobody's going to put up with your shit!"

Despite the hollow feeling in Kagome's chest, a small part of her felt justified when Yuka's grin faltered a fraction and for a split second she seemed unsure. It prompted her to try one last time. "Don't do this Yuka, please."

A moment of silence passed and neither girl spoke. Instead they analyzed the situation, each weighing the effects of continuing this any further. Finally Yuka looked away, her eyes scanning everywhere but Kagome's face. Anger was still present in her tone but it also held a note of defeat as she said, "It seems that our opinions are quite different and I really don't want to argue about this anymore. If you think Inasho is so great then go for it. Knock yourself out. But I'm not going to back down either. If he chooses me then the game is on and if he chooses you then he's all yours."

Kagome knew this was the best she was going to get. For Yuka to make a minimal effort was a good sign. Despite everything Yuka had said and how much it had stung, she really didn't want to loose their friendship over a boy. Then again, she wasn't going to let Yuka win this time either. 

Holding out her hand in a semi-peace offering, Kagome felt more determined than ever to see this through to the end. It was a risky gamble and it was very possible that everything Yuka said was true and Inasho really didn't like her, but a voice coming from deep inside was screaming that she put up a fight and give it her best shot. Nobody else knew just how the deep the connection between her and Inasho ran, not even Inasho himself. All she could do was try.

"Do we have a deal?" she asked softly.

Yuka nodded and took Kagome's hand giving it a hard shake. "We've got a deal. Good luck because you're going to need it."

Thought it wasn't the most promising words, Kagome had the feeling that she was going to need all the luck she could get.

A.N.- My Computer is officially fixed! *Does the hula* Yeah! I'm sooooo happy! Now I can catch up on all the writing I've missed out on. Again, I am sorry for the long wait for this chapter. And I think its crap. It did not go at all like I mentally planned it and now I'm not sure if I've confused everybody too much or not. If you are confused, basically Kagome had a dream and the dream is of a girl that lived in Kaede'a village, only it's mentioned that Kikyo is alive so- epp! O_O That's all I'm saying for now. Everything will come together in due time. I'm so EVIL… hehehehehe! 

*Hugs* Thanks for taking the time to read! Luv ya guys!!


	14. I didn't Know

DISCLAIMER: Sadly, I don not own Inuyasha. I just like playing with them.

Relinquished Destiny

Ch. 14 

By: Lara Winner

If Kagome had thought her day would take a turn for the better after her run in with Yuka, she was sadly mistaken. As planned both girls caught up with the rest of their group in the gym. No one appeared to notice the tension that now existed between Yuka and herself and if they did it was not commented upon. Kagome had breathed a silent sigh of relief when she realized that Yuka was going to keep their agreement quiet and not drag everyone else into the sordid mess.

It was not long after everyone had taken seats that Inasho made his appearance. There was hardly time for a nodded greeting when Yuka had attached herself to his side, subtly commanding his undivided attention. It was a smooth ploy and it worked fairly well. Inasho seemed to enjoy the way Yuka hung on his every word and laughed at all the appropriate moments. Her bright smile and her rather blunt flirtations were not wasted.

Through the corner of her eye, Kagome watched them. She noted that every so often Yuka would find some way in which to touch Inasho. Whether it be a slight brush of her shoulder against his or reaching up to teasingly play with his unruly hair, or leaning into him when he spoke to her, Yuka put the mild contact into play with practiced ease. And to Kagome chagrin, Inasho seemed to be delighting in every bit of her attention.

It wasn't as if Kagome could blame him. After all, he did not remember that past that they shared and he was completely unaware of the game Yuka was playing, and she had to admit, their meeting in this life had hardly started on the right foot. She tried to tell herself that it did not mean all hope was lost but the small ache in her heart told her she should prepare for the worst. 

As if the gods wanted to toy with her even further, the echo of Kaimi's words from their fateful conversation played over and over in Kagome's mind… 

__

"…With Kikyo?"

"Yes, with his soulmate." 

Kagome found it amazing how remembering a significant memory at the right moment could bring back feelings a person might believe they were freed from. It was like a knife was stabbed directly through her heart, suddenly making it exceedingly difficult to draw a breath. Not once, but twice she was being forced to watch the object of her affections turn their heart to another. Suddenly things that Kagome thought had been long forgotten came bubbling to the surface once again…

It was the night Inuyasha made his choice. How foolish she had been, coming through the well thinking she had Inuyasha worrying about her only to find him with Kikyo. He hadn't had the heart to say the words but she knew, one look in his eyes had told her that despite his regret his heart still remained with his former love. 

But because of love she had remained by his side, giving in and keeping her own desires to herself. What had existed briefly between them was never mentioned again. Inuyasha was horrible at hiding that fact that he cared and it was obvious that he did indeed care about her very much, but the hope for anything more than friendship had died the moment he had met her eyes across that clearing…

It was with a sickening feeling that Kagome realized the same thing was happening again. Perhaps Inasho had not liked her upon their first meeting. That was a fair enough assumption considering she didn't know what to make of him at first either. But over the past two weeks they had been forced to spend time together and somehow they were making the best of it and becoming friends. Was she repeating history over again? Was she destined to love Inasho even when he would not return her feelings? Judging by the relaxed way he interacted with Yuka and how he all but encouraged her attention, it was safe to say this would be another no win situation. 

Still, Kagome felt she had to try. So while keeping one eye on Aki's game and the other on Inasho, she began making mental notes on Yuka's body language and a memory log of Inasho's responses. With the proper attitude and right amount of determination she could make Inasho see the connection they shared. At least that was what she told herself over and over until she was almost beginning to believe it. 

It was not long before Kagome realized that the gods had not lost their sense of humor, for even as she was beginning to lift her sinking sprits the basketball game called half time and a familiar voice called her name from a few bleachers down. Stifling a groan, Kagome waved politely and Houjou, taking the action to mean than more than simple acknowledgment, assumed that was an invitation to join her. Kagome did not find the sweet smile on Houjou's face as endearing as it was supposed to be and as he took a seat beside her, through the corner of her eye Kagome saw Inasho looking in their direction.

Setting her lips in a pleasant smile, Kagome settled in to listen half-heartedly to Houjou's exuberant chatter. Oblivious to her lack of enthusiasm, Houjou rambled on and on about everything from the pop quiz in Language that morning to how wonderful it was that Aki's elective class allowed her to play basketball for a test grade. As he continued on about the pros and cons of conducting in-school sporting events pitting varsity players against junior varsity players, Kagome was hard pressed not to sigh or perhaps bang her head really hard against the nearest post or wall available. Since neither action was an option she could take, she'd had been forced to settle for reigning in her swiftly rising annoyance and keeping her expression pleasant while casting glances at Inasho the rest of the evening. 

The sun was setting below the western horizon, deepening the growing shadows, as Kagome returned to the shrine. More out of habit than actual awareness she nudged her bicycle's kickstand, leaving it propped just inside the shrine gate and continued on to the house still panting from her hike up the main steps. Drained from the day's series of events and emotionally spent from her personal anxieties made the prospect of finally arriving home a blessing.

The thought of a warm bubble bath stealthily crept into Kagome's mind and slowly took hold, pushing all her worries aside and enticing her to forget her current problems and indulge herself. Her stomach grumbled, softly reminding her that she had not eaten since lunch. Before her mental musing could return to the reason that she had not had an appetite for concessions at the game, Kagome redirected her thoughts to contemplate how quickly she could make it to her room and run a bath.

Kicking off her shoes by the front door, she entered the house calling out her usual greeting, "I'm home!" only to be rewarded with silence.

"That's odd." She muttered to herself as she realized the house was empty. Instead of heading to her original destination she made her way to the kitchen. As expected a note awaited her tacked onto the fridge with a picture magnet. A younger version of her smiling face accompanied by Souta's stared out from the small frame catching Kagome's attention for a moment as it reminded her of a simpler time. There were no worries then. No past, present, and future melting pot to confuse her and no complex emotions that could bring her to her knees. It was just a picture of two children grinning cheekily at the camera as their mother captured them in a frozen moment of innocent abandon.

Shaking her head at her melodramatic mood, Kagome took down the folded piece of paper and headed up stairs while quickly reading her mother's hasty scribble. 

Dear,

I've taken Souta and Jii-chan to visit Akako. We'll be home in a bit. I left dinner for you on the stove in case you are hungry. 

Love,

Mom

That's nice, she thought sourly. Nobody wondered if I'd like to go visit Aunt Akako too. It's been nearly two years since I've seen my Aunt and Uncle and all my cousins… 

The thought cut off abruptly as Kagome reminded herself that time had once again changed. What had been two years of juggling school and shard hunting had reversed itself. She supposed that technically she hadn't seen her Aunt in three months. 

A rueful smile curved her lips as entered her bathroom and started to run her bath water. She began to undress the odd, off-balance sensation she getting reluctantly used too came flooding back. It was like her world had titled on its axis and things were no longer as they should be. And it was moments like this, when events and situations that she had not thought to consider struck her out of the blue. There was no time to prepare because so much had changed, or rather reversed, that there was no way she would think of everything on her own. Because of this she was put on the spot having to deal with each instance as it arose. The constant loss of bearings between the past and the present left her feeling dizzy and hopelessly lost. 

It wasn't until Kagome was submerged to her neck underneath the warm water and a mountain of bubbles that her mind began to wander over exactly what this new realization would mean. She made a mental checklist, taking into account everything she had missed out on while living her double life down the well. Hitomi, the youngest and most boisterous of her Aunt's children, was still in school with Souta. Her tenth birthday would be in three months and the bicycle accident that put her arm in a cast would not happen for another year. Seiichi, the typical middle child who was destined to be a doctor, had not left for college yet. This made Kagome wonder if he would still choose to attend school in Berlin. Rika, the oldest of the three, would graduate from the local university in just a few weeks. It was bout this time that she had met Haru so they were not married as of yet. And last but not least, Uncle Masakazu would not turn fifty until next year. 

Kagome was sure there was more she was unable to recall but what she could was enough to make her head swim. The slight pounding in her temples warned her that she was thinking entirely too much. This was her moment to relax. All of her problems could patiently wait until she was done with her bath, even her homework. Maybe she would give Seiichi a call when she was done with her bath. It couldn't hurt to get the events straight this time around. 

Her worried frown eased. "I just hadn't realized everything that changed." She whispered to no one in particular as she closed her eyes and sank deeper into the water.

**** 

The next morning came all to quickly for Kagome. After waking up only to realize that she would be late, she dashed madly about her room in an attempt to dress quickly. She breezed through the kitchen completely unaware of food or her rumbling stomach on the way out of the door. It wasn't long before she realized that her morning was only bound to get worse. Traffic both in the streets and on the sidewalks was nearly at a stand still. After fighting to get all the way to her school and arriving just in time, Kagome then remembered that she had left her History textbook on her bedroom desk. 

Fighting back tears of frustration she marched to the classroom ready to either burst into a sobbing fit or fatally hurt the first person to get in her way. As always her emotions were written clear as day upon her pretty face. Inasho eyed her curiously, instantly picking up on her foul mood as she took her seat beside him. 

Inasho wisely kept silent when Kagome made no attempt to greet him with her usual, perky "good morning." His expression turned from curious to contrite as he mistakenly concluded the reason for her irritability. Continuing to cast her inconspicuous side-glances, he pulled out his textbook and pretended to gather the materials they would need to complete the construction of the verbal portion of their project.

The bell rang hailing the official beginning of the class period and Mr. Tuganashi's voice boomed over the quieting murmur of the students. "Remember class you have until Friday to turn in a complete rough draft of the speech you intend to give on your project topic. Ten points will be deducted from the overall project grade for every day the draft is late so I suggest you get to work."

A collective groan was heard around the room as a few of Kagome's fellow classmates realized that time was running out and the work they were postponing would have to be done. Kagome felt a small twinge of relief that her rough draft was half finished. Thanks to Inasho's help of course.

Taking a calming breath, Kagome's anger began to fade. It was pointless to proceed with a rotten attitude. That would only set Inasho off and then they would get no work done because they would far to preoccupied with ignoring each other. It had happened enough in the past two week and she was not in the correct frame of mind to add to her already miserable morning. 

Trying to feel out Inasho's mood, she offered a sheepish smile. "Is it okay if we share you text book? I kinda forgot mine at home."

"Sure." He nodded, moving the book in between them and catching her gaze for only a moment before looking away. His expression was becoming earnest, as if there was more he wanted to say but was uncertain. Shifting his attention once again to his notebook, he shrugged slightly and blurted, "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, just so far it's been a bad day." She admitted with a disgruntled frown marring her pretty features.

Violet eyes took on a knowing look and perfectly curved lips quirked in a sympathetic smile as Inasho looked up once again. "Your folks giving you hell too?"

"No it's not that, I was just running late." Kagome hastened to explain. "My Mom is the best and we get along great."

"And what about your dad? What's he like?" Inasho asked innocently, his head tilting slightly to left in blatant curiosity of her answer. Kagome blinked, caught off guard by the simple question. Seeing her hesitation he said, "I didn't get to meet him when I came over so I was wondering. Are they divorced or something?"

It took Kagome a moment to realize that it was natural for Inasho to be inquisitive about her father. He had not asked this particular question as of yet and she had not felt the need to tell him because with everything going on she had overlooked it. The absence of her Father was something she was regrettably all too used to and almost everyone already knew so it was not an immediate response to talk about his death. It no longer stuck out in her mind as an oddity that needed an explanation nor did it upset her to talk about it. But she did miss her Father and she couldn't stop the wistful smile that crossed her face at his memory.

"Actually, my Dad was killed in a car accident when I was seven." She replied softly and Inasho's eyes went wide. 

"I… I'm sorry." He stammered having the grace to appear dismayed at his own thoughtlessness. "I didn't mean to make you feel worse by bring it up. I just thought that he didn't live with you. I had no idea that he… uh… you know…"

Inasho's awkwardness was endearing to Kagome. That he would care about hurting her feelings started a little spark of warmth pooling in her chest. "It's okay, you didn't know and I'm used to my friends already knowing. I should have told you. Don't worry about it."

He looked down still appearing stricken. "But still, I shouldn't have asked. I'm really sorry."

Kagome smiled, slightly surprised by his apology and how at ease he was with saying it. Acting on impulse she rested her hand on his arm prompting him to look up once again. "I told you it's okay. It happened a long time ago and over the years it has become easier to deal with. At least I have memories of him, Souta was still a baby at the time so he doesn't remember."

"Man, that really sucks." 

Kagome dropped her gaze and smiled sadly. "But I've got mama and jii-chan. Besides, its not so bad because after a while you learn to live with the memories." She said, her forced cheer obvious in her voice. 

Kagome could feel Inasho watching her and vaguely she wondered what was going through his mind. Belatedly she withdrew her hand, blushing at her own unintentional forwardness. Suddenly embarrassed at how she poured her heart out to Inasho, Kagome's insecurities raised their ugly heads compelling her to make light of her own sorrow. "Anyway, it's not important. Sorry, that was pretty lame of me to go on and on like that, huh?"

When Kagome gained the courage to look up Inasho smirked, his over confident expression one again firmly in place. "Don't worry, if I didn't want to listen I would have told you to shut up."

Kagome could only blush, unsure how to take the comment. It was rude but, in a way, he was also being understanding…

She sighed and motioned to the books and papers spread out before them. "We better get started. There is still a lot we have to do." 

Letting the subject drop, Kagome and Inasho turned their attention to the work at hand. At least Kagome tried but her thoughts were flying in a hundred different directions that periodically interrupted her concentration and allowed her mind to wander into forbidden territory. 

__

What in the world was going on? 

Just yesterday Inasho had been mean and nasty and jumping down her throat for every little thing and now today he was acting normal. On second thought, she realized, he was acting very apologetic, super nice even. Was he trying to say he was sorry for the way he had treated her yesterday? 

Casting him a side glance, she couldn't help but smile to herself and he scribbled madly, so completely focused on what he was writing that his brow was creased in a dark frown as he absently chewed on the cap to his pen. Inasho was definitely an unpredictable mystery. The combination of man and child was most times infuriating, especially when he threw one of his tantrums, but it was moments when his maturity came to the surface that made Kagome wonder why he was so determined to hide that part of himself behind his spoiled, cocky façade.

She supposed he had his reasons and perhaps he just needed more time to grow up. Either way, this morning's little attempt at an unspoken apology was heart warming and it lifted an enormous burden off her chest. Maybe there was still hope… The notion was good enough for her so with a small smile she set about getting back to work.

However, Kagome could not concentrate on school no matter how she tried. After several failed attempts of willing her errant thoughts off the topic of Inasho Saigi, Kagome patience was sorely strained and her mind was still a million miles away. She hadn't even realized she'd zoned out until a hand waved a mere inch from her nose causing her to jump.

"Nani? I'm sorry I wasn't paying attention."

"So I noticed." He laughed. The curious gleam was once again back in his eyes belying his casual tone as he remarked, "All I said was that the bell is gonna ring in five minutes so there's no point in starting the next section right now. Are you sure you're okay? You've been out of it all morning and that's not like you. I mean you act pretty weird sometimes but…"

Kagome's eyes narrowed threateningly. "Gee thanks. Not only am I looser and a mental case but now I'm acting weird?"

"Um… that is not what I meant." He tried to amend a little too late. "Don't go getting all pissed off. I was only joking and, for the record, I never said you were a looser." 

"Riiiight," she countered, "and I'm not a mental case either?"

"No, you are a mental case." He teased, trying not to smile. When she continued to glower he rolled his eyes and sighed. "Lighten up, if I meant it you would know it."

"You mean like yesterday?"

The biting words were out of Kagome's mouth before she could stop them and strangely enough she felt justified when his expression turned guilty. Let him feel bad, she thought. He had hurt her feelings several times with the mean things he'd said. She'd tried to let it slide but it was time he began to understand that he could be a real jerk when he wanted to be.

"About yesterday…" he sighed, this time nervously, "I was pissed off and I took it out on you. I didn't mean all that crap I said. Its just that my dad was-" he paused, then shook his head, "Look, don't worry about it."

Kagome was about to insist that he tell her what happened, what would make him so angry, but the bell rang loud and shrill, hailing the end of class. In the blink of an eye Inasho had scooped up his belongings and as hefted his backpack into place he looked over his shoulder and grinned, "I'll call you tonight okay?"

Nodding dumbly, Kagome watched him walk away mildly confused with her heart pounding in her chest. She tried to tell herself it was nothing, he was calling about the project and nothing more, but she knew something was changing between them, however, timing was forcing her to save the questions for later. 

When Jori suddenly materialized beside her nearly bubbling with questions that only proved she had spied on them the entire period, Kagome let the chatter go in one ear and out the other. As she collected her things quickly she took a deep breath, willing her heart to stop racing while stoutly trying to ignore the butterflies fluttering in her stomach. 

A.N.- There is no excuse for taking so long on this chapter. I understand your frustration when you feel you must wait forever for the next chapter of a story and I truly regret making everyone wait this long. The only thing I can say in my defense is that I had to edit the original ending to this story and slightly modify it as I found some discrepancies in the plot and since I am writing this a chapter at a time I found this chapter gave me some problems and was rather difficult. 

Thank you so much for being patient. As for this chapter… well things may be looking up for Kagome from now on. *coughs* yeah right *coughs* Actually j/k. I'm not telling where the story is going from here. All I will say is that things should start getting real interesting from now on. 

*Hugs* Thanks for taking the time to read! Luv ya guys!!


	15. Under the surface

DISCLAIMER: Sadly, I don not own Inuyasha. I just like playing with them.

Relinquished Destiny

Ch. 15 

By: Lara Winner

The cafeteria was a virtual maelstrom of motion and noise and Kagome didn't bother with polite overtures while maneuvering her way through the unruly mass of hungry teenagers. The entire scene reminded her, strangely enough, of a documentary on sharks that she had watched not long ago. The creatures were reasonably calm until they encountered the scent of blood, then it was a mad frenzy of feeding. Which was not at all unlike the reaction of her fellow classmates when the lunch bell sounded. In fact it was eerily similar and Kagome shook her head sadly.

"And the food here isn't even good." she mumbled under her breath as she was nearly trampled for the third time since attempting to reach her friends at their tale.

Through the corner of Kagome eye she caught the telltale flip of dark sable hair to her left before she could stop herself she spotted them, Inasho and Yuka. She tested the names again in her mind. _Inasho and Yuka…_ It was wrong. The sound of their names, the sight of Yuka trying to be coy, Inasho giving her that cute grin, and the way they were almost touchy-feely with each other was just plain wrong. There was no other way for Kagome to describe the miserable pit that suddenly opened in her stomach. 

She eyed the pair discretely as possible until someone bumped into her causing her to push into someone else and nearly suffer a trampling for the fourth time. She pushed the queasy feeling to the back of her mind refusing to let something so trivial, something that she should be completely used to after the past week, crush her confidence and diminish her good mood. It was harder than it seemed but by the time Kagome made it to her seat a semblance of her smile had returned. 

"Now that Kagome's here I can tell you guys the newest thing that's going around in gym class." Jori bubbled happily, "I have class with Tomiichi and he told me that Ijrou said that Gennosuke and his older sister Eiko are throwing this huge party for the end of school."

Ayumi looked up from her lunch unimpressed. "They always have parties when their parents are away."

Jori nodded enthusiastically. "Isn't it great. I bet Gennosuke's dad is going to Hong Kong again, or maybe even Singapore. He told me his mom is in Italy right now with some kind of medical residency and she's not coming back till mid July."

"How do you get all this information?" Eri asked with a laugh.

"It's called socializing. I talk to people and if I talk long enough they tell me what I want to know."

"And you've been keeping this bottle up all last period. It must have been killing you." Eri sighed.

"I've been dying to tell somebody. Seriously, this could be the event of the year." Jori chirped as she twirled a lock of hair around her finger.

Kagome listened to the exchange with a half-hearted smile and felt compelled to participate by pointing out, "That is if we're invited."

"Well duh!" Jori winked, "What do you think I'm working on? If Tomiichi is telling me the truth and Ijrou isn't still mad at me because of what I told Tsuri about him then I may be able to get us invites."

Once again Ayumi spoke softly, "I don't know if this is a good idea. Everybody knows they have alcohol and stuff at those parties. I don't know about you guys but I don't think it's going to be much fun watching Naokazu and his gang get all messed up."

"Ayumi relax, if I can hook this up we'll have a blast. Just think, we'll actually be going to one Eiko's parties. This is our chance to mingle with the high school crowd. Besides, wouldn't you love to see their house? I heard from Chiyoko that they have a rug in the dining room that cost over five grand. Then again, they live in the same subdivision as Yuka and that's mega money, ya know." 

"Well I guess I should confess." Aki spoke up with a secretive smile. "I know about the party because Gennosuke invited me yesterday after the game." 

Kagome was hardly surprised and having seen the two interact it was only a matter of time before Gennosuke was bound to get over his shyness and ask Aki out. It was still comical to see Jori's eyes go wise as saucers as she squealed, "And when were you going to tell us?"

Aki shrugged. "I just did."

"Well?"

"Well what?"

Jori nearly sputtered, "Well how did he ask you? Was he all romantic and sweet about it? Did he stutter? I bet he stuttered. He gets so flustered sometimes when he has to read out loud in class and then he blushes and it's so cute. Oh you two will make the most adorable couple…"

Jori's endless chatter faded into the background of Kagome's thoughts as her eyes once again wandered a few tables over. Yuka was truly in her element, she decided, as the brunette smiled impishly at Inasho. They were sitting close together, so close it almost looked like Yuka was going to sit in his lap if she leaned any closer. Her eyes were sparking, wide and expectant, as she seemed to hang on every word he said. Something about them looked natural and at ease and the void inside Kagome grew deeper.

__

Why did this have to be so confusing? 

Kagome knew she must have asked this question a thousand times and that each time the answer remained elusive. It was only her feelings for Inuyasha that sparked this attraction between Inasho and herself. Maybe if she concentrated on that and tried to remember the past she could transfer her feelings back? Not that she felt anything less for her lost hanyou but the longer she stayed here in her own era the more the Sengoku Jidai seemed like dream. 

It was strange that she should have such an affinity towards this boy that she barely knew and yet when she looked in his violet eyes she felt as if she knew him a hundred times over. It was like the first time she had seen Inuyasha. It was a funny little flutter in her chest, like something was stirring or perhaps awakening. There he was asleep and pinned to the goshinbu tree, not a word had been spoken, she had not even looked him in the eye and yet the familiar feelings that stirred to life left her mildly disoriented. 

Now that was a huge understatement.

Perhaps she was not entirely over Inuyasha as she has originally thought, she mused as her vision started to blur. Gods how she missed all of them for that matter. If she concentrated she could almost hear Sango fussing at Miroku, feel Shippo curled up in her arms, and smell the wonderful aroma of Kaede's cooking. It was the simple things that she had taken for granted as regular occurrences that she now missed dearly.

Blinking back the tears that wanted to spill, Kagome forced her gaze back down to her lunch, the little appetite she had now gone. Her stomach turned and she picked at her food listlessly. Amidst the melancholy a tiny flame of irritation sparked to life in her soul. She was tired of feeling broken. She was sick of being turned inside out by her own emotions. It moments like this she wished she could forget everything. 

A gentle prodding in her ribs brought her head up and Eri smiled. "Are you okay? You look a little down."

Kagome tried to return Eri's smile but she knew the attempt was pathetic at best. "I guess."

"You were watching them again." Eri whispered.

Startled, Kagome wasn't sure how to respond. No one knew about her feelings for Inasho… unless Yuka had told Eri the details of their disagreement. Stricken, she stammered, "I'm fine Eri."

"You like him a lot don't you?"

Kagome's doomed feeling grew even stronger. "Is it that obvious?"

"To the others? No. To me? Yes." 

Eri's reply was spoken quiet but none-the-less Kagome felt the blood drain from her face. If Eri could put two and two together then it was only a matter if time before the rest of their friends caught on also. The last thing Kagome wanted was to make a spectacle out of the situation and to offer her a small relief Eri seemed to understand this. 

"I'm not going to say anything Kagome," she vowed, concerned, "but if I were you I wouldn't worry. Look at Yuka. Have you ever seen her trying so hard? It should be a dead give away. If he's smart he'll catch on to her and if he's not then he'll learn the hard way. And remember, if he likes you too then there is nothing she can do to change that."

"That's the problem. I'm not sure how he feels." Kagome whispered back miserably.

Giving her shoulder a sympathetic squeeze, Eri chuckled. "Then you have to find out."

On that foreboding note Eri let the subject drop but Kagome's stomach was still fluttering nervously long after lunch was over and everyone had returned to class. In between scribbling notes and reading textbook paragraphs Eri's words continued to dance around in her mind echoing over and over in a chant that reminded her of a death knell. 

Eri made it sound so simple but like a snake hidden deep within a rose bush, it was a disaster waiting to happen. Sure, she could find out if Inasho's true feelings by asking how he felt and then she could die from utter humiliation when he gave her one of his strange looks and walked away. Or even worse, he could find the question humorous and laugh directly in her face. And even better yet, he could point out all the ways that she did not compare to Yuka and add salt to the still bleeding wounds that mangled her heart. 

With possible outcomes like that Kagome found herself less than eager to know Inasho's answer. Yet no matter how she tried to concentrate one thought kept returning with hopeful persistence.

__

If he isn't interested then why did we almost kiss?

*****

Numbers were swimming in a blurry haze, playing happily in a sea of white. Equations danced to a mocking tune as their logic remained just beyond the threshold of understanding. Various symbols lifted up from the paper sea and began marching to a nonexistent drumbeat, slowly conquering the sheet of loose-leaf as the smaller numerals tried to flee in terror…

"Kagome! Telephone!"

Gray eyes shot open unfocused with confusion. Blinking, Kagome slowly lifted her head from the pillow of her arms and yawned. Unfinished math homework was tucked beneath her folded limbs and the corner of her textbook was poking her ribs uncomfortably. With groggy movements she rubbed her eyes and sat up wincing at the stiffness of her muscles.

"Kagome! Get the phone!" 

Realizing that Souta's shouting was what had woken her up, Kagome groaned softly as she pulled herself up from her seat and stumbled across the bedroom to her phone. Stifling another yawn, she answered sleepily. "Hello?"

"Hey Kagome. What ya up to?" Inasho greeted, insanely cheerful. 

__

This is the second time he's called and woken me up, was the first inane thought to cross Kagome's mind and right on the heels of that came, _Oh gods he actually called._ A rush of adrenaline sent her stomach into a series of giddy flip-flops and any remains of sleep disappeared the second she heard his voice. She twisted the phone cord around her fingers nervously, practically stuttering. "Uh... nothing really, just some homework."

"Ahh dreaded homework. I just finished the last of mine. I think my brain is going to combust if I try to cram anymore information in there tonight." Inasho laughed. "Oh yeah, I wanted to ask you, by some miracle of a chance are you in one of the advanced science classes?"

It was Kagome's turn to laugh, "Me? In advanced science? I can barely keep up with standard science."

"Damn." He sighed. "I was hoping you could help me."

A sympathetic smile crossed her lips. "Sorry. Ayumi is in advanced classes. I can give you her number if you want?"

"Nah, don't worry about it. I just wanted to double check some answers I came up with, that's all."

"Oh."

Kagome tried to curb her disappointment as the conversation fell silent. As she had suspected he was only calling about schoolwork. Not that she had a reason to get her hopes up in the first place. She hadn't really expected him to call at all. She refused to think about it as had done her homework and then she had fallen asleep at her desk… 

She glanced sharply at the clock. To her surprise it was not even time for dinner yet. Fighting off a sigh she tried to think of something to strike up the conversation again, only to have Inasho beat her to the punch. 

"So-"

"Well-"

They both spoke at the same time Kagome couldn't help but smile when Inasho laughed. The tenor of his voice was smooth and deep and his laughter was an infectious sound. It made Kagome realize that she'd never heard Inuyasha's laughter. Feeling more than a little guilty but curious just the same, she wondered if it would've sounded as carefree as Inasho's laughter. Their voices were very similar but sometimes she could detect a difference, or perhaps it was the emotions that Inasho had no problems showing filtering through in his voice. 

Kagome's smile faded as thoughts of the hanyou filled her mind and before they brought up the unresolved sadness they harbored, she said softly, "You go first."

"Um..well," he paused and she could almost hear the embarrassed smile in his voice, "the reason I called was to see if you felt like coming over to my house. See, I got this really cool idea for our history presentation and I wanted to show you, ya know, see what you think. I was thinking now might be a good time so we can get a head start on it. Plus I'm bored out of my mind and I could use the company. So what do ya say?"

The nervous tension that had been steadily building inside Kagome suddenly exploded. Her mind was racing just as fast as her heart with Inasho's unexpected offer rushing around inside her head. Okay, so it was still about schoolwork but he had also invited her to his house. This put a slightly different light on the situation. After all, he could just tell her his idea over the phone and get her opinion. But instead he was asking her to come over. Did she dare? If she didn't it wouldn't be polite since had come to her home when requested. She had to calm down. Oh now she was blushing, she could feel it heating up her entire face. Mentally she chanted, _'get a grip'_ over and over. 

Not realizing that she had taken precious moments to sort out each thought coherently, Inasho answered for her. "Hey if you can't it's no big deal. I'll just show you tomorrow-"

"No!" she cried and blushed even more deeply at the unusual high pitch to her voice. "I mean yes. Yes, I'll come. Uh.. where... where do you live?"

As Inasho gave the directions Kagome wrote them down with one hand while cradling the phone between her head and shoulder and cooling her cheeks with her other hand. In a daze she hung up the phone not sure what to think, what to expect, or what to feel. Should she be excited or would she only end up building herself up for a fall if she read too much into this? And why did he ask her to come over? He said it himself, he could show her his idea tomorrow. Did he really enjoy her company enough to want to be around her away from school? He said he wanted her company and also said he was bored. Not exactly a declaration of love but it was an improvement. Then again maybe she was a last resort? Was she the last person he called after everyone else was busy? Had he called Yuka first?

Caught up in the whirlwind of innumerable questions that bounced back and forth like a tennis ball in middle of a match, it didn't even occur to Kagome to change out of her school clothes. Instead she stuffed the directions into her backpack, told her mother she was going to study and left the house without paying attention to her actions. 

The closer Kagome came to her destination the harder her nervousness became to control. Seeing Inasho in school was one thing but to go to his house and meet him on his own turf was quite another. What if she said something completely stupid? It would be just her luck to make a fool out of herself when they were finally getting somewhere, if you could call this "getting somewhere". 

This is about school and nothing more. _But if so then why not wait to they were in school tomorrow morning?_ He's bored. _Then obviously he likes being around you._ He didn't say that. _He didn't have to_… 

By the time Kagome reached the modest house bearing the same address as written in the directions she was at a near panic. Her heart was pounding and the butterflies in her stomach had turned into a flock of birds sometime during the last block. Her face was burning, her hands were ice cold, she told herself that this reaction was ridiculous, she swallowed hard and still felt as if there was a rock lodged in her throat, and on top of everything her history text book was still sitting on her desk at home. 

Biting the inside of her lip hard enough to draw blood, Kagome pressed the doorbell. What she expected was Inasho to answer the door. She expected to choke out a greeting while trying not to blush. She expected to follow him to the living room or maybe his bedroom. 

But that was not what happened. 

As fate would have it, Inasho was not the person to greet her. Instead a young woman, no more than eighteen, opened the door with her face set in a polite smile. Kind blue eyes sparkled from beneath perfectly styled bangs and long midnight hair fell over her shoulders. She was taller than Kagome by a few inches and she was wearing an outfit that looked as if it could be a work uniform. 

Yet none of this registered prominently in Kagome's mind. Instead she felt lightheaded as one word, a name really, burned across her brain along with a multitude of emotions that flooded her heart threatening to drown her.

Kikyo.

A.N.- I bet you were thinking you'd never get to see this chapter posted huh? Well here it is. I'm not quite satisfied with it but there's nothing new with that. From this point on character transition becomes a key factor in each chapter (for good or bad you'll have to read to find out) and for me as a writer I find this rather tricky sometimes. I also have this story outlined but as I continue ideas are forming that is hopefully shaping up the story and giving it more of a polish as it comes long. This however takes time because if the idea fits but is not a part if the outline then to fit it in I may have to rearrange some things and it gets very tiresome. But as fellow authors you know all of this so I'll quit blabbering.

So how's that for a cliffhanger? How many of you guessed it was Kikyo? I tried to give as many hints as I could without spelling it out beforehand. Don't worry, everything, and I mean EVERYTHING, will be explained by the end of the story. So for those of you confused by the dreams and the whole reincarnation thing, it will make sense eventually. **Hint**: if you reread the chapter about reincarnation then you just might figure out what is going on here.

I am sorry for such a long delay. Emotional trauma is hard to deal with, especially when it's not you going through it but someone very close to you. But now that the rocky time has passed, somewhat, I shouldn't have my time so divided. I'm already working on ch.16 so it should be out shortly. *Hugs* Thanks for taking the time to read! Luv ya guys!!


	16. Too much too fast

DISCLAIMER: Sadly, I don not own Inuyasha. I just like playing with them.

Relinquished Destiny

Ch. 16 

By: Lara Winner

__

Give me a break. This can not be happening.

It wasn't so much a conscious thought, as it was feeling that nearly swept Kagome away in a flood of hopelessness and frustration. How much more could she take? This was all happening at once. Too many memories of the past were clouding with the present and her emotions were so confused she didn't know where to begin to sort them out. It was even worse when staring into the eyes of someone that she could never truly tell was enemy or a friend…

Friend was a strong word. 

Kikyo had always been a mystery to Kagome. Her actions were never predictable and her detached demeanor was more than a little unnerving. Yet on more than one occasion Kagome would sense serenity inside the un-dead miko and Kikyo's anger and sadness would fade as if her true soul were emerging from a deep slumber. It was a fleeting sensation but it made Kikyo seem more real and it gave Kagome a glimpse to the person she truly was. In these rare moments they would see eye to eye and because of it Kagome could not call her an enemy or even bring herself to hate Kikyo despite the hold she had on Inuyasha. 

__

A hold that she apparently still has, a waspish voice inside Kagome's mind snapped. 

It took everything in Kagome to put aside her confusion and focus on the girl before as she spoke softly, "Can I help you?"

That voice, so soft and gentle, sent an eerie chill down Kagome's spine. She had never thought to hear that aloof tone again. The foreboding air that had once radiated about Kikyo was absent and in its place was the serenity that felt vaguely familiar. Yet despite that Kagome was still plagued with a sense of unease. Or maybe it was just too much to take in at one time and she was clearly over-reacting. 

There was only one way to find out. As the inviting expression on the young woman's face started to turn into concern, Kagome managed a ragged whisper. "Is Inasho here?"

"Hai. Please come in." 

Kagome did as requested clutching the shoulder straps of her backpack in a death grip. Forcing herself to take calming breaths, her gaze darted about her surroundings. It was an average two story house, nice and roomy with quaint décor and a lived in feel about it. Seeing boxes that still needing unpacking residing in the corner right next a furniture that, while in good condition, had obviously seen years of use was an odd balm to Kagome's flailing emotions. The axis of her world, which had once again shifted without warning, began to steady itself at the inane realization that her surroundings looked… really normal.

"Forgive the mess, we're still trying to get things settled in." she said with an embarrassed laugh. "My name is Kieko, I'm Inasho's sister. You must be Kagome. He's told me a lot about you."

"Uh… he has?" Kagome blushed and promptly wanted to kick herself at how lame her reaction sounded. _Wow, what an intellectual answer_. 

Kieko laughed at Kagome's proverbial deer-in-the-headlights expression. "Don't worry. It was all good things. He's in his room. It's up the stairs, third door to the left." 

It was an eloquent but none-the-less obvious dismissal that Kagome did not hesitate to obey. Mumbled her thanks and headed up the stairs as if flames lapped at her feet. She needed time to accept this new development. Thoughts of Kikyo were still too raw and instantly brought up feelings of fear, inadequacy and even jealousy. But Kieko was different. The young woman was exactly how Kikyo should have been and had been when Inuyasha had met her. Of course bringing up Inuyasha made her wonder just how in the hell did Kikyo end up being his sister in this life? 

Absently Kagome rubbed her temples as the faint stirrings of a headache began to develop. When she reached the top of the stairs her pace slowed as a new thought struck her. _You're going to be alone with Inasho in his bedroom_… A heated flush spread from her face all the way throughout her body. Pressing her ice-cold fingers to her blazing cheeks, she frowned. Determinedly she buried the thoughts and feelings under a wave of annoyance. This was ridiculous.

Kagome knocked lightly on the door and her hand trembled traitorously. Almost instantly a muffled "come in" was issued as reply. There was a certain amount of hesitance in her movements as she pushed the door open and stepped inside. 

Inasho was lying across his bed on his stomach; madly working the controller in his hands as his undivided attention was focused on the small TV next to the bed. Absently his feet kicked back and forth and Kagome fought back a smile. Inasho was incredibly cute when he was engrossed in playing a video game. Of course if she wanted to be brutally honest he was cute all the time but when he was preoccupied it allowed her to watch him without fear of being caught staring, something she was guilty of doing all to often. 

It took Kagome a moment to understand why she felt compelled to simply observe Inasho at times. Inuyasha in his human form was just as intense and grumpy as when he was in his hanyou form. Although he was apt to become softer and more compassionate when human, he still chose to hold himself back from emulating most boys his age. But knowing Inuyasha as she did, Kagome was almost positive that he had no idea how to identify with his peers and in order to protect himself he shied away from the prospect of making friends and living normally.

Yet when around Inasho Kagome found herself drawn to observing his actions and reactions. Sometimes they caught her off guard and sometimes they brought home painful reminders of everything she left behind. She knew the comparisons had to stop but sometimes it was so hard to look at him and not see Inuyasha. And that was why she clung to moments just like right now when it was easy to differentiate her memories from the here and now. 

What made Kagome even more perplexed was how odd it felt to see Inasho act his age. It was this kind of everyday behavior that was so typical it felt foreign. She had told Inuyasha once that she was loosing her sense of self by living in the past and now that was more relevant than ever. This was her world. This was the lifestyle, the technology of her generation and yet she once again felt like a small child full of wonder. It really threw her off balance to watch Inasho fit in perfectly with this era when it seemed that she could not. 

But what frightened Kagome was that everyday that had passed since her time in the Sengoku Jidai her stability returned a little more. She didn't want to forget. She didn't want to let go of all the ways she'd changed since meeting Inuyasha and the others. But in her heart she knew that Inasho was here to help her pick up the pieces just had she had been there for Inuyasha. Now that she understood how he must have felt, constantly torn and uncertain, she realized that a small part of the pain she'd harbored over his feelings for Kikyo had eased. Even though she would never be sure if he loved her, she at least understood that he did care and he had tried in his own way to show her. 

But her fairy tale did not end as she had hoped. Instead her destiny seemed to mirror Inuyasha's, to be thrown in and out of time, to leave a piece of her heart behind while struggling to move on… 

Kagome swallowed against the sudden pressure of tears that threatened to choke her. Eagerly she grasped onto her surroundings and forcibly pulled herself out of her reverie. She needed to focus on now. She was here with Inasho and Kikyo was downstairs right this second doing the whole big-sister-thing. This time around things had changed drastically. Whether or not for the better was yet to be discovered but that was not important. What was important was that Inasho had invited her over and they were alone, in his room, and she was watching him play his video games. Confusion and tears were not part of that equation.

Gathering her composure, Kagome closed the door behind her. Taking a few steps forward she stopped by the edge of the bed. Not wanting to ruin his concentration but unsure of how long she stood there gawking, she blushed. "Hi."

"Hey." He greeted without tearing his gaze from the TV screen. "Just give me a few seconds. I'm trying to get to the save point." 

Taking advantage of Inasho's preoccupation, Kagome looked around his room curiously. It was sparsely furnished with only a bed, a desk, and a chest of drawers that looked as if it had seen better days. The television and play station sat on the floor even with the bed. The bed was lacking a frame so it was also on the floor. More than half of Inasho's desk was cluttered with papers and textbooks while the remainder of the desk was piled with clothes, but whether clean or dirty she could not tell. The better portion of all four walls was covered with rock band posters, a few Japanese but most in English. There was a black light propped in the corner and resting right beside it was an acoustic guitar surrounded by music sheets. The last thing to catch her attention was the worn skateboard half hidden behind the ajar closet door.

This was Inasho's space. Everything about the room screamed his personality enticing an amused smile to appear on Kagome's face. He was truly in his element and she was completely out of hers. Not that she felt awkward, or even out of place, it was simply uncommon to be alone with a boy her age in his bedroom. However, her peaked interest quickly turned to embarrassment when she realized that Inasho had long since put down the game controller and was watching her intently. 

Ignoring her stern mental command to not blush, her cheeks turned the brightest shade of pink. "Uh.. nice..room. " she floundered for a moment but his guitar caught her eye and she grasped it like a lifeline, "I didn't know you played the guitar."

His smirk was instantaneous. "Yup and I'm pretty good too."

"I was making an observation." She said dryly. When his grin only widened she rolled her eyes. "I swear I was not trying to goad your delusional, overbearing ego."

Slowly Inasho's content expression dissolved into a melodramatic pout. "You have gravely wounded me. Now I must defend my honor and prove my worth." He said in all seriousness as he rose from the bed and retrieved the guitar. Then he turned to her and winked, completely ruining the effect is his somber tone. "Check this out." 

His fingers moved with practiced ease over the chords and suddenly the air was filled with a familiar tune. As Kagome watched Inasho she noticed a subtle change in his demeanor that told her, as clearly as spoken words, that this was something he took very seriously. The care in which he played the notes, the thoughtful look on his face, even the precise way he held himself was added proof. As the rhythm began to increase in speed and complexity and he closed his eyes in concentration. The sound enveloped the room creating a surreal sensation that lasted for a few moments until Inasho's fingers tripped up and the smooth flow of chords was interrupted.

Kagome winced and Inasho peeked up with a sheepish grin. "I meant to do that."

"Riiight." 

"I didn't say I was great," he defended. "I'm no Jimmy Hendrix."

Kagome's brow scrunched up in a questioning frown as she asked, "Jimmy Hendrix? Who is that?"

"Good Gods…" He breathed, his eyes wide in an exaggerated combination of shock and horror. "Don't tell me you have no idea who he is."

"Nope." She laughed. "Should I?"

"Everybody should pay homage to the guitar god. I mean, he was only best musician there ever was. The man was a genius. Nobody could play like he did." When her expression remained a little dubious, he sighed sadly, "You have no idea what good music is."

"Well excuse me. I'm sorry I'm such a baka when it comes to American music." She huffed despite her smile.

"Don't worry, there's still hope for you yet." He said, his confident bravado returning full force. He set the guitar against the wall and came closer to Kagome reaching out and affectionately, yet purposely, ruffling her hair. "Stick with me kid and you can't go wrong."

__

Did he really want her to stick around…

Kagome's heart skipped a beat and for a second she came dangerously close to voicing the thought out loud but almost instantly she caught herself and forced out a jaunty reply, "Okay, now I have the feeling of impending doom." 

"Oh that's funny. You're a real smart ass, ya know that."

Kagome's smile turned sweet as candy. "I get it from you." 

"Touché," he conceded with an approving nod. "Not bad. Real smooth comebacks. I've trained you well. Now you must go forth and piss off the world."

She couldn't help but laugh at Inasho's antics. He was staring at her, his violet eyes twinkling with mirth. His smile was contagious and she felt herself returning it whole-heartedly. For the moment she was free to enjoy herself with Inasho and take advantage of his extremely good mood. She let the world beyond his room fade from her mind and instead gave herself up to the pull of his presence. 

It was easy to get lost in his eyes. So easy that she lost track of how long they stood there staring and grinning at each other like idiots. Slowly an emotion built inside her, an emotion that hadn't felt in such a long time. Like light breaking through the darkness, a warm and fuzzy feeling pooled in her chest and then suddenly burst filling her to the brim with contented excitement. 

Inasho's expression was softening and suddenly Kagome wondered just how much of her emotions were written on her face. Looking down, breaking the spell, she laughed nervously, "So.. uh .. what's this emergency project meeting about? I'm dying to hear what's so important."

Inasho took the change in subject in stride, not even blinking. "I'll do better than that. I'll show you."

He walked over to his closet and disappeared inside. The sound of rummaging and a few mumbled curses later, he stepped back out trying to maneuver a long rectangle shaped wooden box without banging it into the wall. The box was tall, reaching a few inches above the top of Inasho's head. Kagome could hardly contain the sudden intense curiosity that filled her.

Inasho's excitement was almost a tangible thing as he placed the box carefully on the bed and opened both gold fastenings. He lifted the lid and gingerly parted the purple velvet cloth to reveal the box's contents.

Kagome gasped in pure shock.

There before her, lying against the backdrop of crushed velvet, shining as if it were band new, was a solid gold staff. At the top was a large ring that was adorned with six smaller rings and the intricate design of the gold was flawless. Though it was obvious the staff was kept in perfect condition, polished and cleaned meticulously, nicks and scratches remained glaringly obvious along the body of the staff. Each abrasion told a tale of danger and intrigue. At one time it had been used and used well from the looks of it. 

Again the axis of Kagome world tilted, attempting to send her spiraling out of focus, but this time she was able to get a grip on her self a little more quickly. Still this was far too much for her to take in too short a period of time. The full impact of what was happening would hit her later when she had time to dwell on it's implications. Right now she had to focus on what Inasho was saying.

"Are you all right? You look as if you've just seen a ghost."

__

You could say that… Not paying mind to her actions she reached out and gripped Inasho's hand tightly, her voce choked as she asked, "Where did you get this?"

A.N.- *hides from angry mob* Sorry about that cliffy. I decided at the last minute to divide the original outline for this chapter into two parts. Again I feel this chapter was unsuccessful. But that's just me.

Kudos to all of you who knew Kikyo was Inuyasha's sister in this life. It may seem strange and weird but by the end of the story you will see why fate turned the tables this way.

So we all know the owner of that staff right? Hehehe… will he make an appearance? You'll have to read the next chapter to find out. *Hugs* Thanks so much for sticking with me. I'll try to have the next part out as soon as time allows. I hope everyone has a wonderful holiday and an awesome start to the new year. Later guys!!! *_* 


	17. Just plain too much

DISCLAIMER: Sadly, I don not own Inuyasha. I just like playing with them.

Relinquished Destiny

Ch. 17 

By: Lara Winner

Kagome's eyes were glued to the wooden box and its contents as if they were going to jump up a bite her. 

There were countless, partially formed ideas running around in circles in Kagome's mind but the only one to push it's way forward and win her attention was the inane irony that Miroku's staff was wrapped in purple a cloth that was near identical to the color of his robes.

Not that the observation had anything to do with the question she just asked or was really of any importance at all, but her mind seemed content to pause on that thought and reflect on it for a moment. It really was such a pretty color and the velvet, while crushed in certain areas, still looked soft and just beckoned for her to run her fingers over the material… 

__

I am so not ready for this!

A distraction, any distraction for that matter, was safer for her sanity than facing the cataclysm of confusion that was waiting to crash over her the second she acknowledged it's presence. It was best not to face it yet and give Inasho the chance to explain. 

He was watching her closely, the look on his face a cross between mild alarm and bewilderment. "I didn't steal the damn thing it if that's what your worried about…" when his quip failed to get the desired smile he was aiming for, he frowned. "It belongs to a friend of my Dad's. He's letting me borrow it for the project."

"Is the staff authentic? Is it really an antique?" She asked, more to convince herself that it couldn't be a coincidence than because she really cared. 

"That was he says," The reply was spoken absently as Inasho's frown deepened. "Hey are you sure you're okay? Your face went completely white. You're not going to hit the floor again like you did in the cafeteria are you?" 

"Huh?" With obvious effort Kagome tore her gaze from the innocent looking staff and pulled her hand away. "Hit the floor…" 

It took her a moment to remember what had happened the previous week. _That's right_, she recalled, _I closed my eyes and saw Onigumo…_ She shivered, masking the reaction with a jaunty shake of her head. "I'm fine."

"Are you absolutely sure? My sister worked at a hospital for a while so if your not feeling good she might be able to help."

Inasho's offer was sweet but Kagome could only deal with one thing at a time. There was no way she could handle being with Kikyo… er … Kieko right now. So she did the only thing she could do, she forced a smile that was a little too bright to be convincing and lied. "I'm fine really. It's probably low blood sugar or something. Sometimes I get that way when I haven't eaten. No need to worry though. I feel terrific."

"You sure?"

"Yes. Geez, you're beginning to sound like my mother." She laughed a little nervously. 

Inasho remained a bit dubious but seeing that Kagome was getting some of her color back he relented. "Okay, okay I give. But you can't say I didn't try to help. If you drop dead then it's your fault not mine."

"I'm not going to drop dead," she rolled her eyes, "I wouldn't give you the pleasure."

"You're being a smart ass again."

Casting Inasho a glare that was menacing, Kagome reasoned, "The only reason you don't want me to die is because we're in your room and you'd have to drag me out of here."

"So your point is?" When Kagome's lips pursed in a pout, a sign that meant prepare for an oncoming lecture, Inasho beat her to the punch. "If you kick the bucket then your gonna blame me and personally, I don't like the idea of sharing my room with your pissed off ghost. It'd be creepy to try and sleep with you around and…" he suddenly grinned wickedly, "and you'd probably watch me when I change clothes-"

The pillow that landed in Inasho's face successfully silenced him and Kagome pulled a face. "Eeew! Like I'd want to see you with out clothes on. Talk about a traumatizing experience."

"So says the poster child for the advantages of birth control." Inasho countered as he tossed the pillow back to where Kagome had gotten it only to get hit in face with a second pillow. Inasho remained still letting it fall onto the bed. When Kagome tried not to laugh at his blank expression, he sneered. "As much as I love this game of target practice, I'm must warn you that if you touch my pillows again, especially if you launch them at my face, I'll kill you and hide your body where no one will ever find it." 

"Somebody didn't take his medication today." Ignoring his glare, Kagome smiled innocently. "What? All I said was somebody didn't do his meditation today."

Inasho's evil expression didn't budge. "How stupid do you think I am?"

Kagome looked away to hide her unrepentant grin. "You really don't want me to answer that." 

"That's it. You are officially number two on my hit list." Inasho exclaimed as he suddenly walked over to his desk, opened the top drawer, pulled out a piece of paper and began scribbling. "Note to self: Kill Kagome."

"You have a list of people you want to kill and you think I'm a head case…" she mumbled under her breath. 

"I heard that." He said dryly without turning around. Tucking the paper away again, he grabbed his history books off the desk and returned to the bed. "You've just moved up from number five to number two. Keep it up and I'll make you number one." 

Inasho flopped down on the bed motioning for Kagome to do the same. She hesitated a moment as she realized that their teasing had eased some of the anxiety that had almost overwhelmed her. The shock of being presented with Miroku's staff was slowly fading and with it was the drowning feeling that plagued these unexpected surprises. Gingerly she sat down taking a deep breath as Inasho began flipping through the textbook before him. 

"It says right here that staffs such as these were used in exorcisms and healing rituals." He turned the book for her inspection and pointed to the paragraph. "I figure an exorcism is a fight with a evil spirit or demon so technically this could be considered a weapon, right?" 

__

If you could remember the way Miroku used it you wouldn't have a doubt… "I don't see why not." She agreed.

"Since we need visuals for our presentation I thought we could use this. What do you think?" 

"You're definitely onto something." She said, nodding appreciatively while wondering how to steer the conversation back to the current owner of the staff. 

"Really?" He gave her a lopsided grin, looking at her hopefully. 

It was an uncommon sight though Kagome was almost positive Inasho was unaware of how easily she could read him when his guard was down like this. It never occurred to her that he would take her opinion seriously but her approval seemed to make him happy and in turn she found herself smiling back. "It's a great idea." 

As if he suddenly remembered himself, his grin turned into an over confident smirk as he shrugged carelessly. "Of course it's a great idea. I thought of it, duh."

Kagome sighed. His sweet side was nice while it lasted, all thirty seconds of it, but now it was back to square one. How did the saying go? 'Fight oil with vinegar' or was it 'Fire and water don't mix'… she couldn't remember but either way, a little sarcasm was called for and she was inclined to oblige. 

"That's right," she snickered, "I forgot I was in the presence of the great one. All hail Mr. Perfect." 

"Now if only you'd remember to give me proper respect all the time we could get along famously." He noted in a superior, distinctly snooty tone. 

"And if I actually had half a mind to listen to this rubbish you would have me groveling at your feet." She huffed turning her nose up haughtily. "I think not."

"I didn't ask you to think. I wouldn't want you to hurt yourself or anything." 

"I resent that." Grabbing a pillow she hefted it threateningly. "You're asking for it."

"Hands off the pillows." When she ignored his command his eyes narrowed. "Drop it. I don't want it to stink like yomhp-" The insult became garbled by yet another accurate hit with the pillow that he didn't even try to block. Exaggerating the blow he fell backward and bounced against the mattress, completely limp. 

"Baka…" she muttered, trying not to crack a smile.

"I am not a baka!" he insisted from beneath the pillow, "and you throw like a girl." 

This time Kagome couldn't hold back her laughter. "Okay, even I could do better than that."

Inasho reached up and dragged the pillow away from his face, just enough for one eye to become visible, and glared at her for all he was worth. "Gimme and break, will ya? You just attempted to murder me with a pillow. My head is a little fuzzy." 

"Nope, not buying it." She said with a firm shake of her head for added emphasis. Forcing herself to concentrate once again, she thought she heard a faint "damn" from beneath the pillow but chose to ignore it. "Come on, we need to get serious for a bit. I'm dying to know more about this staff."

"If you insist." he sighed reluctantly as he put the pillow aside and leaned up, resting on one arm. "What do you want to know?"

"For starters… how did your Dad's friend come across it?"

Inasho shrugged. "I dunno. Mr. Ichiro is always getting his hands on all kind of antiques. It's like his hobby or something."

"Oh." She frowned, "Did he tell you anything more about it?"

"Not really. He said he was going to find out what he could for me so I'm waiting for Maiso to call me."

"And who is Maiso?" 

Kagome was completely lost. She wouldn't have been surprised if there were dancing question marks above her head.

"One of my friends." I took Inasho a moment to realize that he needed to explain further. "Maiso is Mr. Ichiro's son. He's the one that got his old man to let me borrow the staff in the first place." 

"That was nice of him."

"You wouldn't say that if you knew Maiso." Inasho grumbled. "Now I owe the shit head for doing me a favor."

How anyone could be so pessimistic was beyond her. "So you do something nice for the guy in return. It's not like it would kill you."

"I'm not so sure about that." Inasho said with a strange look on his face. "We're talking about a guy who would con a poor, starving priest out of his last yen if he thought he could get away with it. I wouldn't be surprised if he demands my first born kid for a favor like this."

To Inasho it was an offhand comment about his friend but for Kagome it was an all too familiar description of a certain perverted monk. _This is too much_… The urge to laugh wildly was strong but she fought it down and managed to whisper, "He can't be that bad."

"Your right, he's worse. I can't think of one redeeming quality he has."

"You know, if this is how you talk bout your friends I'd hate to hear what you say about people you don't like." 

"I don't talk about people I don't like." Inasho confessed in his honest way, but before she could fully process in that bit of information he continued on saying, "I just call things like I see them. Maiso's a creep but that doesn't mean he's not cool to hang out with. I've just learned that you don't listen to everything he tells you and whenever he sees a pretty girl pretend you don't know him. Both will spare you a lot of bullshit."

"I used to know a boy like that." Kagome wasn't sure what compelled her to say it or why she felt the need to get the memory off her chest, but suddenly she didn't feel so confused. She found herself smiling. "He was always getting into some kind of trouble, especially when it concerned girls."

"Did he chase them around until they kicked his ass?" When she nodded, Inasho rolled his eyes. "I don't understand guys like that. They give the rest of us a bad rep, as if being a liar and a cheat isn't bad enough. You want to know what really pisses me off though, more than all the other stuff?"

"What?"

"How religious Maiso is. I don't get how he can do all that stupid crap and then have the balls to lecture me about karma and spiritual development psycho-babble." Inasho growled. "You can't be a devout Buddhist and have prayer beads in your right hand while your left hand is grabbing some girls ass. It's not supposed to work that way."

"No kidding…" 

The more Kagome heard about this Maiso guy the more she realized that she wasn't all that surprised. In fact she was numb. Or maybe she was in a self-induced daze and the minute she was alone she would snap and go blissfully insane from a little nervous breakdown… That was a nice, comforting thought and she tucked it into the back of her mind as plan b. 

And yet if she could believe in destiny then maybe she shouldn't be reacting this way. Kami warned her that the choice she made had changed the future. What if it was her destiny to be with the people she left behind? What if there was a deeper reason, something more important than jewel shards and curses, that bound her life with theirs? This could be the second chance she needed so badly…

__

But I'm so afraid to hope, she admitted, casting the innocent staff a mournful look. 

Reaching out with fingers that shook slightly, Kagome gave into the impulse and felt some of her tension fade as the pads of her fingers slid over the cool metal. Each grove and blemish tickled more then just her skin as her thoughts traveled back into the past. 

"It's beautiful." She whispered, letting Inasho take her words for face value though she was actually referring to the flashes of memories that remained vivid in her mind. 

"Yeah…" Inasho gave her a vague response that matched the far away look on his face. He was watching her idle movements but his thoughts were also traveling a different path, one that became obvious when he spoke, as if to himself, "Sometimes Maiso would stare at that thing for hours… he wouldn't say a word… and I… never understood what was so fascinating about it. 

Kagome's gaze lifted to Inasho. "Maybe its special to Maiso."

Inasho blinked.

"I guess it is," he conceded with a smile, "his Dad's had it for as long as I can remember."

Kagome knew a good opportunity when she saw one. It was her chance to find out more about Inasho and she jumped at the chance. "If you're are so different then how did the two of you become friends."

A short bark of laughter colored the air. "I don't think we ever had a choice in the matter. Our parents kind of stuck us together and said deal with it. But I guess it has its perks. He's nineteen, three years older than me, and that can be very useful." 

In the blink of an eye Inasho's expression turned mischievous and Kagome's eyes widened in amused surprise. "Now I'm beginning to wonder which of you is worse."

"I learn from his mistakes," he proclaimed in his typical conceded fashion, "so that way I know what you can get away with and what gets you busted without actually doing anything. And before you go say 'that's-not fair'," his voice an octave higher and be batted his eye lashes for maximum mimicking effect, "let me state for the record that he's gotten me into enough trouble so I deserve a little compensation."

"I wasn't going to say anything," she lied, then as an afterthought, "and I do not sound like that!"

"Yeah you do. You're just like a chipmunk on crack." He laughed. 

"Baka…" she sighed as she lifting her eyes heavenward. "You could try the temper of a saint. I bet I know why Maiso is religious. Its because he's praying for the patience to put up with you."

"Who me? No way! I'm the easiest guy in the world to get along with." He pulled an innocent face complete with sparkly eyes and a sweet smile. 

Kagome was feeling generous. By the hardest she let it slide, grasping the textbook and saying in a tone that demanded no argument. "Let's get back to work."

A.N.- *grins* I felt this was as good as any place to end the chapter since Kagome can only think about this so much in Inasho's presence. This chapter was meant to be more informative than anything else. 

I hope my attempt at humor was at least somewhat funny. It was time for Kagome to have a little light hearted fun and I figured if there wasn't some form of comic relief then the poor girl would have snapped and we can't have that… yet. *_~ 

I did warn you guys from the beginning that this story is one big cliché. The only question is who will make an appearance and who will not. And that is for me to know and for you to find out. Yes, I am shameless but you must keep reading. ^_^ 

*Hugs* Thanks so much for sticking with this story. Next chapter should be up in a week or two. Until then take care. Later guys!!! *_* 


	18. In dreams

DISCLAIMER: Sadly, I don not own Inuyasha. I just like playing with them.

Relinquished Destiny

Ch. 18 

By: Lara Winner

If Kagome had expected her happy little nervous break down to happen once she was home in the sanctuary of her bedroom she was sadly mistaken. It decided to come the next morning after awaking from another vivid dream of a past she couldn't quite recall and realizing that she was going to be extremely late for school.

It started much like any usual morning for Kagome. The alarm's shrill cry broke the silence jerking her from the depths of sleep. Reflexively she hit the snooze button just as she always did. Only she kept hitting it and unlike usual after the eighth time she finally dragged her eyes open to check the time. 

"7:15…" She cooed sleepily as she stretched her arms above her head and… froze. She blinked, scrubbed at her eyes and looked again. "Crap!"

Something inside Kagome snapped like plastic under too much pressure. As if hot coals had been placed under her bottom, she shot from the bed in a frenzied search for her uniform. She tore through her closet, rummaged messily through every drawer, and left heaping piles of clothes in her wake as she raced about like a mad woman putting on parts of uniform as she found them. 

How was it that the bedroom she'd had for as long as she could remember was suddenly foreign territory and nothing was where it should be? There was only one explanation. It was a conspiracy. The entire universe was trying to make her go crazy. Or maybe a youkai had snuck into her room in the middle of the night and moved everything around so that she couldn't find it. No, not youkai, it was Buyo. Behind that cute face was the embodiment of evil…

As another ploy sent from the universe, Souta chose that unfortunate moment to burst into Kagome room. "Hey Sis, Mom said to tell you-"

The poor child was not allowed to finish his question because an armload of rumpled shirts and unfolded socks bombarded him from across the room where from deep within the depths of the closet came eerie mutterings of, "I've got you now…no that's not it…ah-hah! No not that one either…grr…where the hell are you… I know you're in here…when I get my hands on you I'm gonna put you on, you hear me! I'll put you on, I swear…"

"Umm… Sis? Who ya talking to?"

Kagome didn't answer, instead she stumbled out of the closet hopping to keep her balance on one foot as she attempted putting a sock on the other. After a minor struggle that left Kagome put of breath and colorful curse words, she slipped on her loafers, grabbed her backpack and rushed out of the room. 

Souta looked from the door to the clothing disaster and back to the door. He blinked in surprise. 

Before Souta had the chance to move Kagome dashed back into the room and grabbed the History textbook still sitting on her desk. The little boy opened his mouth to continue relaying his message but Kagome was one step ahead, once again cutting him off with a very loud, "I'M LATE!"

Her shriek echoed down the hall accompanied by a blur of green and white as Kagome flew from her bedroom and down the stairs. Mrs. Higurashi smiled pleasantly and held out a neatly packaged lunch to the human tornado and called after her, "Have a good day honey!"

"I'M LATE!" Kagome yelled back barreling out of the door. A second later she'd climbed onto her bike and was taking off.

It wasn't until Kagome was half way down the block and peddling as fast as she could that her sanity began to creep back into place. Suddenly the desire to commit homicide on the innocent cat seemed really harsh and very unimportant. Taking precedence over her warped musings was the dream that had haunted her restless sleep…

The village was bustling under the mid day heat. Wooden carts made a ruckus of noise as they careened their way down the dirt road that ran through the heart of the village. Chickens clucked and feathers few as a few of the children took to chasing the animals, expertly dodging the adults tending to their own duties. It was the same mundane occurrence that happened everyday in the provincial village.

Fighting a smile, she let the little girl that was holding her hand lead her in the direction of the shrine. As they walked she simply enjoyed the familiarity that surrounded her. The first preparations for fall were beginning. The entire village was a bursting with activity.

The humdrum was a far cry from the peaceful fields little Kaede had come to fetch her from. With her task of gathering herbs complete it was now time to return to the shrine and make ready for the wedding ceremony to be held tomorrow. It seemed there was always something to do. Her work was never complete. A gentle tug on her hand pulled her attention to the child at her side. The child bright eyes gazed up at her somberly as she asked, "Why does my sister tend that man in the cave?"

The child's question was so far from the train of her own thoughts that she had to think of an appropriate answer. And promptly she shivered. The man, Onigumo, was Kikyo-sama's newest responsibility. She had never tended the man personally though she had gone with Kikyo-sama once. However, as soon as the cave came in sight something inside of her gave way to pure terror and she'd been unable to go further. There was something about that cave that struck pure fear in her heart.

But Kikyo-sama was resolute and she tended the man everyday faithfully. And there was only one reason for it. "Because it is Kikyo-sama's duty." She explained to the little girl with a soft smile.

"But that man…" the child's words trailed off as her eyes became frightened, "he's evil." 

She squeezed the little hand in her own affectionately and crouched down to the child's level to look her in the eye. "Kaede-chan, it is not for us to judge this man. Kikyo-sama is nursing him because it would be an act of cruelty to deny him. He is need of mercy and whether or not he deserves it is irrelevant. We must grant him compassion."

Kaede looked thoughtful for a moment, but then nodded. "I understand. It wouldn't be right to turn him away."

"No it would not."

The child fell silent as they began up the steep steps to the shrine. The herb basket at her hip bounced and the pungent fragrance of freshly cut herbs permeated the air about them. The sound of hammering drifted from the top of the stairs. As they reached the summit the two men working on replacing the damage done by the last demon after the sacred jewel came into view. Only a few more steps and the carpenters' conversation carried clearly on the summer breeze. 

"And what do you make of that hanyou hanging around Kikyo-sama all the time?" one man asked.

The other shook his head in apparent disapproval. "That mutt has caused us much trouble in the past. I don't see how she can trust him. He's only after the Shikon no Tama."

The observation was met with a nasty laugh. "That half breed has no right bothering Kikyo-sama. Its such a kind heart she has, to try and reach out a creature like that. But its dangerous business 'cuz he's a demon after all and chances are he'll turn on her."

"You think so?" 

"You know he will. He's not natural and no matter how he looks he's not human either. Its disgusting really."

"Yeah." The other man agreed. "And I heard that Kikyo-sama may use the jewel to make him human. Kami-sama knows it would be a blessing to be rid of the Shikon no Tama but no amount of magic will ever make that mongrel human. I still say we should've gotten rid of it when we had the chance."

The compassion she had preached about to Kaede took hold of her heart and she felt compelled to scold the men for their harsh words. She would have given them a piece of her mind and taken up for the hanyou boy even though she'd only met him once but the sudden arrival of Kikyo stayed the lecture on the tip of her tongue. It was obvious from the older miko's sad expression that she had heard the every word spoken.

The carpenter's noticed Kikyo arrival too late. Blushing shamefully, they bowed their heads and apologized profusely but Kikyo barely acknowledged their actions. "Be cautious of the path you chose to take. The bitter taste of hatred today will only poison you tomorrow." 

As the Kaede released her hand and rushed to Kikyo's side, she reached up to touch the prayer beads at her throat feeling a rush of trepidation from her mentor's powerful words…

Kagome's hands were trembling as she remembered the dream's vivid details and she gripped the handles of her bike tighter. If the dream had ended there it wouldn't have been so bad, but it didn't. The shrine and the unknown girl had faded away only to be replaced by Onigumo's cave. Then she had been forced to watch herself steady the bow and release the arrow that took his life. As the bandit's scream filled the cave she was overcome with the sudden sensation choking, as if hands were at her throat squeezing the very life from her. 

It was then that she had woken up in a cold sweat, clutching at her throat unable to breathe. For the longest time she had stared into the darkness of her room waiting for the shadows to come alive with more horrors. But after a time she had fallen back into an exhausted sleep which she now realized, as she narrowly missed running over a man with his head buried in his morning paper, had probably done more harm than good. She felt drained and unable to focus. 

Still, the dream would not leave her numbed mind. 

Who was this nameless girl in her dream? What was this connection that allowed to her to watch the young woman's memories and to feel the young woman's emotions? 

This time Kagome had seen the village. It was hardly much different than when she herself had visited the Sengoku Jidai. Kaede was only a child so that would put the time somewhere around fifty years before her arrival to the past. These weren't her memories. They couldn't be… could they?

But it had seemed so real, Kagome thought. She could still feel the way the warm summer breeze had ruffled her hair and the scent of the herbs still made her nose twitch. There was no way she could imagine this. She could still feel the cool glass beads around her neck. 

And she could still feel the tight grip of hands around her throat. 

Panic washed over Kagome in a wave of pure adrenaline. Never in all her life had she been so terrified of a dream. It was too real. The imaginary fingers had bit into her flesh, wrapping around her slim throat and applying so much pressure that it had been impossible to breathe. She had tried to draw in a breath clawing at the invisible hold on her but her resistance met nothing but air. 

Yet through it all her vision remained clear and fixed Onigumo's lifeless body. The arrow remained protruding from his chest as a crimson stain blossomed around the wound. She couldn't close her eyes. She couldn't look away. She couldn't even breathe.

That was how she awoke, wide-eyed and frantically drawing in air to her burning lungs. It took a few long moments of near panic before she could draw in a steady breath. Even after she huddled up in her blanket at the top of her bed with her back against the headboard, the trembling wouldn't stop and the vision of Onigumo wouldn't dissipate. 

In the back of her mind Kikyo's cryptic words kept repeating in her head. "The bitter taste of hatred today will only poison you tomorrow."

Was that supposed to be some kind of warning that her choice would come back to haunt her? It was nothing less than Kagome expected. She had committed murder and that was deserving of retribution. She had also murdered a helpless man and that was unforgivable. The backlash of karma coming to her was probably catastrophic. And beyond her fear Kagome felt she deserved it.

Onigumo's death never went away. The crippling guilt was always there, just behind her smile and underneath her worries over everyday life. Inside the dark spot that now marred her soul it stirred, grating on her conscious until it was raw and bleeding. It was never forgotten. It ruled the depths of the night and inspired her most vicious nightmares. This was her penance.

Kagome had known she relinquishing more than destiny for the life of her friends, she had sold her very soul. But they were granted a second chance and in her heart she couldn't deny them that. Even if it cost her very life to atone for the life she ended then so be it. She would accept the fate that awaited her.

But right there along with the guilt and fear was also a fair amount of righteous anger. There was no other way, if there had been she would have taken it but there wasn't. Onigumo had to die before he became the horrible evil known as Naraku. In the end a thousand lives were saved at the expense of one… and before it was all over maybe two…

No. 

This life was hers.

This time things would be different. It had to be because the past had already changed the future. The course of destiny had been altered, and thought she was still to determine whether for better or worse, there was no way to reverse what Kaimi had done. 

Kagome found it odd that the very piece of the puzzle that left her helpless to fate was what gave her the most comfort. Time had been reset once. It would not happen again.

__

Yes… that is very comforting…

Unconsciously Kagome's mouth twisted into a grim smile. The present was here and now. This was her world and her reality, not some time warp that landed her five hundred years in the past. There were no more uprooting surprised coming her way, at least not ones that would send her to a completely unfamiliar world and force her to survive. After such a traumatic experience anything destiny could throw her way now was a piece of cake.

__

Like stumbling across Kikyo… 

Kagome felt she had handled herself extremely well in that situation. She had avoided expressing her panic and had remained levelheaded by taking the surprise in stride and making the best of it. Obviously she and Kikyo were to walk the same path and in this life they were not enemies so… maybe they were never meant to be. With Kikyo now alive and seemingly returned to her true self, perhaps this was the intended circumstance of their first meeting. 

But that wasn't so surprising now that Kagome thought of it. Once Kikyo had learned the truth about Naraku and the initial tide of her anger ebbed, she was able to overcome the seed of evil planted inside her by Urasue. After gaining a small bit of control Kikyo had proven to be a complex mystery. Even at the worst of times, except that once when Kikyo had tried to kill her, they were uneasy allies. There never was any true hatred between them, just a lot of heartache and bitterness because of one really confused hanyou. And of course the real dividing line was that Kagome was alive and Kikyo was the walking dead…

Kagome shivered. 

Kikyo skin had always been so cold and unyielding, not pliant and warm like living flesh. Inuyasha had once confessed that she smelled of grave dirt and bones. Kagome could only imagine how it must have felt to be trapped in that false body roused by an imitation of life. It was no wonder Kikyo was so vengeful and bitter. She was being put through hell. 

It was only fair to say that the un-dead miko was not the vibrant and kind woman Kagome saw in her dreams nor was that walking corpse remotely similar to Inasho's friendly sister. To harbor any lingering ill feelings would be entirely unfair. It was another slap in the face by fate but this one was easier to accept. Or maybe it was simply Kagome's nature to forgive, either way she was going to do what she could to rectify the damage that had been done. 

Taking into account the previous evening it seemed as if they were off to a good start. When Inasho had walked her to the door Kieko had made an appearance politely saying that she hoped they would meet again. It wasn't a significant moment but hopefully it was the foundations for a fresh start.

And if the growing suspicion that Inasho's friend was indeed Miroku's reincarnation then Kagome had the feeling that this would only be the first of many new beginnings. Granted it wasn't the life she had forfeited but there was always the hope that maybe this life could be even better. 

Yet underneath Kagome's forced optimism remained a small twinge of foreboding that silently spoke of dark clouds on the horizon of her future. 

A.N.- I am truly sorry for such a short chapter. I do have a legitimate excuse though. Once again it is Mardi Gras time here in the Crescent City and I have been working extra hours for nearly two weeks now. This leaves little time to do the stuff I have to do (like sleep) much less write fan-fiction. 

I hope this chapter was not too confusing. I'm sure you realize by now that the dream sequences have a particular purpose yet to be uncovered. All will reveal its self soon enough. In rough estimation this fic has about sixteen chapters left. This could change more/less. 

*Hugs* Thanks so much for sticking with this story. The next chapter will be completed a.s.a.p. but I make no promises on a time limit. Until then take care. Later guys!!! *_* 


	19. The unexpected date

DISCLAIMER: Sadly, I don not own Inuyasha. I just like playing with them.

Relinquished Destiny

Ch. 19 

By: Lara Winner

It took two days before Kagome was feeling anything like her normal self again. Diving into her schoolwork and surrounding herself with friends and family seemed to settle the anxiety that had consumed her. It was impossible to forget the hand she played in her own destiny but that didn't mean she couldn't enjoy it. 

However, no matter how small and trivial there was always a bump in the road of life. This was an age-old lesson learned by everyone. It was universal. It was inevitable. Her trivial bump was standing beside her nearly breathing over her shoulder.

"Hi Higurashi-san."

Kagome bit back a groan and fixed a polite smile on her face. "Hello Houjo-kun."

As she rummaged though her locker he watched smiling pleasantly. "How are you feeling today?"

"Great! No… better than great. I've never felt better." She slammed the locker closed and slumped against it blowing a stray lock of bangs out of her eyes. "You wouldn't happen to have a pencil I could borrow, do you?"

"Sure." He reached in his book-bag and produced the item.

This time her smile was more genuine. "Thank you so much. You're a life saver."

"It's no problem. I'm happy to help."

Kagome set off down the crowded corridor as Houjo kept pace beside her. He was sweet, handsome, single, and very sought after by most of the girls in their grade and the grades below… 

So why the hell did he have a crush on her?

His feelings were blazingly obvious and despite Kagome's lack of enthusiasm, he made no attempt to feel differently. Kagome wondered if she had more in common with Houjo than she thought. 

"Um… Higurashi-san…"

"Hmmm?" 

"There is something I wanted to ask you. If I may…?"

The look on Houjo's face was serious, if not a little uncertain, and Kagome felt compelled to stop and give him her full attention. When he swallowed nervously she had the sinking feeling she knew what he was going to ask. She was not disappointed.

"Would you accompany me to Gennosuke's party next week?"

Kagome bit her lip, her mind flailing for a valid excuse though none seemed forthcoming. He looked so hopeful and cute… She hated to turn him down, she really did but she didn't return his feelings. Why couldn't he see that?

"Houjo-kun I do-"

She was saved as the bell sounded hailing one minute to the start of class. Giving him a sympathetic smile she called over her shoulder, "We'll talk about this later okay?"

Kagome saw the poor boy nod before she lost sight of him in the throng of students. No how in the world was she going to tell him no? 

******

The library was as silent as a tomb. Except for the faint whisper of material that occasionally alerted random movement, the entire room was eerily hushed. It was actually oppressive, like a thick fog that hung amongst the tables and bookshelves. It gave the Kagome the impression of a calm lake with water so still it could be taken for glass. Much like the imagined water's surface, the silence surrounding her was flawless and she was hesitant to draw a breath and dissolve the odd effect.

Inasho, on the other hand, had no such qualms about breaking the spell of silence. As always he was too busy caught up in the need for simple activity to take a moment to appreciate the quiet. Kagome knew he was going to speak and ruin the surreal feeling even before he opened his mouth. 

In this Inasho and Inuyasha were unmistakably identical. 

A perfect example was fidgeting, which Inasho had yet to stop doing since they sat down. It was something silly and childish really, yet it was done to create a consistent distraction. Through the corner of her eye Kagome watched as Inasho twirled his pen between his fingers absently, all the while his eyes idly darting about the library watching anything of interest with the picture of boredom etched upon his face. He drew a breath. She fought the urge to roll her eyes.

"I'm your dream, mind astray," he began to sing under his breath, "I'm your eyes while you're away, I'm your pain while you repay, you know it's sad but true…"

The baka was just singing away and even though it was low and barely discernible it still earned a glare from the elderly librarian behind the desk checking in a stack of books. The song was in English and the words made no sense to Kagome so she tried to block out the sound but the problem only compounded when he began tapping his pen against his textbook. Fellow students sitting close by kept shooting annoyed glances in their direction and since it seemed obvious that Inasho was not going to cut his solo short anytime soon Kagome took it upon herself to nudge him in the ribs with her elbow to get his attention. 

"Shhh," she hissed softly, "Stop that!"

Inasho blinked "Nani?"

"Schoolwork now," she pointed at the books spread before him for emphasis, "goof off later."

""Maybe I'm finished." He shrugged and continued gazing about the library. A quick glance at his poorly scribbled notes said differently but the far away look was back in his eyes and he was once again lost in own thoughts before she could protest.

The blissful silence only lasted for about thirty seconds before he squirmed in his seat, this time his foot tapping out a base rhythm against the leg of the chair beside him. _'Well so much for Inasho formulating a comprehensive bibliography'_ Once again he had her concentration shot straight to hell.

With stiff movements that gave did little to conceal her irritation, Kagome closed her books abruptly. "We just as well leave since we're not getting any more work done today."

That did the trick. In a flash Inasho's books were collected and haphazardly shoved into his book-bag. Just as quickly the bored expression he'd worn all afternoon was replaced with a cheeky grin. And to top it all off he began whistling rather loudly as they passed the librarian just to be as obnoxious as possible. 

Sometimes Kagome felt like she was baby-sitting a five year old.

"Finally!" Inasho exclaimed as soon as the swinging door closed behind them, "I thought we'd never get out of there."

Of course when he pulled stupid stunts like this she wished she had a pair of prayer beads to put around his neck. And she knew just the word to use for activation too… "Baka!" she cried, imagining him going splat on the ground while in reality she turned on him, quite perturbed. "We have a project to finish and the deadline in is two weeks. The last thing we need is to get banned from the library because you have A.D.D.!"

"Chill out Kagome. I have everything under control." When she started walking across the courtyard he realized his over confident smirk did little to reassure her so he tried again. "Oh come on, we already have enough research for the report and…" his eyes suddenly narrowing as he pointed a finger at her accusingly, "and you were doing your environmental science homework. I saw you. Bet you didn't think I noticed but I did." 

"So." She blushed guiltily. "That is completely besides the point." 

"Face it, you're busted Kagome. You can't jump my case because you weren't working on our project either." Unfortunately for Kagome Inasho was right and they both knew it. "Thanks to you that's two hours of my life that I'll never get back." 

"A bit dramatic don't you think? Class barely let out an hour ago." She stated reasonably as she approached the bike rack. 

"I'm telling you, we were in there way more than an hour."

"Inasho-kun…" her eyes turned heavenward in supplication. 

As Kagome crouched down beside her bike Inasho fiddled with his watch, his brow scrunching as he did the math in his head."42 minutes and twenty seven seconds. Okay so I was a little off. Sue me."

The combination lock opened with a resounding click allowing Kagome to free the chain that secured her bike. With the chain and lock tucked away, she adjusted her backpack to rest on both her shoulders and guided her bike away from the rack. "If you had any money I'd consider it."

Inasho made a show of shaking his head sadly. "Typical female only after what she can get." 

"You're only saying that because you'd know I'd win." Kagome grinned. 

"I disagree and I'll tell you why. Saying you really did go about this, you'd have to have a reason. On what grounds would file a suit?" he asked, watching her through the corner of his eye as he accompanied her off the school grounds as she walked her bike beside him.

Kagome posed a thoughtful expression contemplating the question. Actually she was wracking her brain trying to remember all those fancy legal terms she'd heard on tv. Even thought it was a silly conversation it still felt good to show Inasho up sometimes. She grinned, _'like right now…'_

"Compensation for Emotional Damages for all the times you insulted me and Defamation of Character for labeling me as a money grubber because I am female, but that's just for starters. I'm sure if I seriously thought about this I could come up with at least a dozen more." 

The poor boy wasn't expecting her a logical comeback. So to save his bruised ego Inasho waved off her reply with a snide laugh. "Those aren't even real terms. Am I supposed to be impressed because you can use big words?"

"It's not my fault if you can't keep up with the conversation."

"Maybe if there was a point to this…" Inasho trailed off abruptly falling silent which prompted Kagome to look up and follow his gaze curiously. To her left, parked against the curb was a sleek jet-black motorcycle trimmed with shining chrome. It was obviously a high quality machine, even she could tell that it screamed expensive taste. 

"Now that's a beauty." He said softly not taking his eyes from the machine. 

For Kagome the bike was nothing special. To her it was more amusing to watch Inasho twist himself to the point of nearly walking backwards so he could continue staring until the motorcycle was out of sight. Not only was it amusing but the look of pitiful longing on his face was sort of cute.

"Man I'd kill for one of those." He whined when he could no longer see its gleaming black hull. 

Kagome reached over and patted his arm sympathetically. "You know, if you would actually do your school work you may be able to afford one someday. Call me crazy but it's just a thought." 

"Whatever." He shot back snippily. "You sound just like my mother. Oh, that reminds me! My Mom said she's sorry she didn't get to meet you the other night but she'll invite you over for dinner as soon as she has time to cook."

"That's nice of her. Tell her I'll be glad to come." Through the corner of her eye caught Inasho's widening smile. 

"Sweet! We'll actually have food in the house for a change." He laughed thoughtfully. "Yeah, isn't that something? She's gonna feed you but she'll let me starve."

"I'm sure you're just exaggerating the situation as usual."

"No you're just lucky that your Mom knows what a kitchen is and how to use it…"

Kagome let Inasho's grousing fade into the background. It was then that she realized they were heading toward the shrine. Inasho's house was in the opposite direction but he didn't seem to notice. She wondered if she should say something… 

Nah. 

He was bound to realize eventually.

*****

"NANI!?!"

"How can you be surprised Kagome-chan?" Aki asked.

Kagome gripped the phone tightly as she repeated the disheartening new her friend just delivered. "Inasho asked Yuka to the party…" 

"That's what Yuka said. It's a direct quote. I mean really, they eat lunch together everyday and she says they spend hours on the phone very night. It was only a matter of time."

"I guess your right." Kagome strived for a lighthearted tone. "I'm surprised he didn't tell me though."

"He's a guy. They don't feel the need to talk about things like us girls do."

At her friend's quip she managed a small laugh but it sounded hollow even to her own ears. Not really in the mood to talk anymore she lied, "My Mom want's to use the phone so I'll talk to you tomorrow okay?"

"Okay. Later Kagome" Aki chirped, then the line went dead.

Placing the phone back in its cradle, Kagome stared sightlessly at the wall. She thought they were getting closer but apparently she was wrong. Inasho was completely oblivious to her. Nothing had changed. As always she was the good friend, nothing more. 

Why didn't he tell her? The baka could have mentioned it during their walk after school. He could have mentioned it this morning in class. He could have said something, anything…

Instead she had to hear it from Aki. 

The knife was twisting in Kagome's heart but right along with it was a righteous spark of anger. She didn't need this. Why was she wasting her time on a boy who obviously didn't care. Twice he'd chosen another over love she offered. Well it stopped now. No way was she going to act like a lovesick little kid anymore. 

Looking down at the phone in her hands, Kagome was suddenly struck with an idea. It might not be wise and it was probably wrong on more levels than one but she was too frustrated to care right then. Flipping through the little phone book in her nigh-stand, Kagome came across the number she was looking for. Not letting herself think about what she was about to do or what could come of it, she quickly dialed the number on the page.

It rang once, then twice, and on the third ring a familiar voice answered, "Hello?"

"Houjo-kun? Its Kagome."

His entire voice lit up as he greeted, "Hey! How are you?"

"Fine. I was calling about the party…" She pushed aside her misgivings and plowed on with the purpose of her call. "I'd love to go with you…"

A.N.- *dodges rotten tomatoes* I'm sorry, I know that's not a promising ending to a chapter now is it? Well, I think most of you have an idea where this is going… but you may be wrong. There are plenty more plot twists where this came from so brace yourself. 

Then again I could just let her be with Houjo… he is kind of cute.

*ducks from sharp flying objects*

Hehehe… than again maybe not. 

*Hugs* Thanks so much for sticking with this story. I'll try not to take so long on the next chapter. Until then take care. Luv ya guys!!! *_* 


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